turn on its side

USAGE SUMMARY

"turn on its side" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the movement of an object, or to signify a change of perspective. For example, you could say: "When I looked at the problem from a different angle, it was easier to solve because I had turned it on its side."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

It should fit easily into the film canister, but should not be so small that it has room to turn on its side once in the canister.

WikiHow

Upon approaching Rt. 27 he attempted his brakes, which failed, forcing him to pull his emergency brake and cut the wheel to avoid traffic on Rt. 27, which caused his veh to turn on its side.

The New York Times

He looked inside, and seconds later he saw Combs and others hurtling down the club's stairs, tripping on a broken step, and sliding around the curved wall at the bottom, like when a roller coaster goes around a turn on its side.

The New Yorker

Rim Gung-su, a professor at Mokpo National Maritime University with more than 30 years of experience as a ship captain, suspects that an abrupt turn may have caused the ferry to turn on its side and sink.

Los Angeles Times

I'll probably have my women's college cred revoked for even suggesting this, but does the campaign turn on its side the years-long criticism about whether Barbie is damaging to the psyche and self-image of girls everywhere who live out their childhood fantasies through her? .

Los Angeles Times

In that way, it was much different because instead of it being lots of different characters, it's a single character that has many different facets, so I got to really explore how to augment and change and turn on its side and turn upside down and turn backward, a theme for a single character.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

At first, the flowchart looked like a "Y" turned on its side: a story with just one node.

The New Yorker

So Lil Jon produced Ciara's "Goodies," which is just "Yeah!" turned on its side, much like the Kinks' "All Day and All of the Night" is "You Really Got Me" rearranged.

The New Yorker

Wearing sweatshirts outside the Yes concert near last season's close, Maureen Gilligan, 35, and Karla Helgans, 35, sat on the beach, leaning against a lifeguard stand turned on its side.

The New York Times

If you turned one on its side, it would be like a bazaar, a confederation of stalls.

The New Yorker

The opening words of the chorus stared out at me, stark and bleak: "The world turns on its dark side".

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "turn on its side" when describing the physical action of rotating an object so that it rests on its lateral surface. This is particularly useful in technical descriptions or instructions where clarity is essential.

Common error

Avoid using "turned to its side" when "turn on its side" is intended. The former implies an action directed towards the side, while the latter correctly describes the resulting state of being positioned on the side.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "turn on its side" primarily functions as a verb phrase, often part of a larger clause describing a physical action or state. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Examples show it describing objects being rotated or tilted.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Wiki

30%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "turn on its side" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase in English, primarily used to describe the physical act of rotating an object to rest on its side. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples from diverse sources. While not extremely frequent, it's commonly found in News & Media and Wiki contexts. Remember to use it accurately to describe the resulting state, not the action leading to it, and consider alternatives like "rotate it sideways" for slight variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rotate it sideways

Focuses specifically on rotating an object to a sideways position.

lay it horizontally

Emphasizes placing something in a horizontal position, which implies turning it on its side if it was originally upright.

tip it over

Describes the action of causing something to fall onto its side.

reorient it laterally

Uses more formal language to describe changing the orientation along the lateral axis.

place it on its flank

Describes positioning an object so that its flank is the supporting side.

set it on its edge

Highlights placing an object on its edge rather than its flat surface.

shift it to a horizontal axis

Focuses on the change in axis orientation, implying the object is now lying on its side.

incline it sideways

Suggests tilting something to the side rather than fully turning it.

cant it over

A more technical term suggesting an object is tilted away from vertical.

put it on its beam ends

A nautical term used when a boat is heeled over so much that its beam ends are nearly vertical.

FAQs

How can I use "turn on its side" in a sentence?

You can use "turn on its side" to describe the action of rotating an object so that it rests on its side. For example, "The truck "turned on its side" after the accident".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "turn on its side"?

Some alternatives include "rotate it sideways", "lay it horizontally", or "tip it over" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say 'turned to its side' instead of "turn on its side"?

While 'turned to its side' might sound similar, it implies the action of turning towards the side rather than the state of being on its side. "Turn on its side" is generally the more accurate and common phrase to describe an object resting on its side.

Can "turn on its side" be used metaphorically?

While primarily used to describe physical rotation, "turn on its side" can sometimes be used metaphorically to suggest a drastic change or reversal of something. However, this usage is less common and should be used with caution to ensure clarity.