do a 180
1. Literally, to begin moving in the opposite direction. (If one physically turns 180 degrees, one will then be facing the opposite direction.) I was going to go to the park, but when I saw those dark clouds roll in, I did a 180 and headed back home. Once I realized I was going the wrong way, I did a 180 at the next light. When I saw Mary in the hallway, I did a 180 and went back the way I came.
2. To make a big change in one's position, opinion, lifestyle, etc. A: "Can you believe that Sam quit his job at the firm?" B: "No, he really did a 180 on being a paralegal!" After a huge public outcry about the controversial program, the president quickly did a 180 and announced that he would not support the plan. The tech giant typically has unyielding success, but they did a major 180 with the disastrous unveiling of their latest gadget.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
do a one-eighty
and turn one hundred and eighty degrees 1. Lit. to turn around and go in the opposite direction. When I hollered, the dog did a one-eighty and headed back to its own yard.
2. Fig. to radically reverse a decision or opinion. His political philosophy turned one hundred and eighty degrees when he grew a little older.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.