turned

the minute someone's back is turned

when/while someone's back is turned - while someone is somewhere else or unable to notice what is happening. The minute the teacher's back is turned (= as soon as she cannot see them), they start messing around and throwing things at each other.

See also: back, minute, turn

a poacher turned gamekeeper (British)

someone whose job seems to involve working against the person who is now doing the job which they did before. He used to be the the union rep but now he's in management - a case of poacher turned gamekeeper.

See also: turn

The tables are turned.

turn the tables on someone - to change a situation so that you now have an advantage over someone who previously had an advantage over you. In the past it was always Dan who was having affairs while Lucy stuck by him. Now the tables are turned.

See also: table, turn

The wheel has come/turned full circle.

something that you say which means a situation is the same now as it was before things started to change. The wheel had finally come full circle; we were together as a family again.

See also: circle, come, full, has, turn, wheel

when/while someone's back is turned

while someone is somewhere else or unable to notice what is happening. When my mother's back was turned, my grandmother would give me chocolates.

See also: back, turn

your whole world came crashing down around you

if your whole world comes crashing down around you, something unpleasant happens in your life that suddenly makes you feel very upset or confused. Suddenly they weren't popular any more, nobody wanted to buy their records, and their whole world came crashing down around them. When I found out he'd had an affair, my whole world turned upside down.

See also: around, came, down, whole, world

The worm has turned.

something that you say when someone who has always been weak and obedient starts to behave more confidently or take control of a situation. Yesterday, she just came in and told him to stop bossing her around. The worm has turned!

See also: has, turn, worm