English idiom

turn something on its head

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to completely change something or make it the opposite of what it was

Why this phrase?

Nothing is physically flipped; it means a complete reversal.

Example

“The discovery turned our understanding of the disease on its head.”

Dictionary details

Tags

change

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

every which way

in every direction, often in a scattered or disorderly way

go downhill

to become progressively worse in condition, quality, or performance

go with the flow

To adjust calmly to circumstances or prevailing behavior instead of resisting them.

a whole new ball game

A completely different situation from before.

blaze a trail

to pioneer an approach that opens the way for later people

break the mould

to do something new and different that sets a new standard

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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