turn on one's heel

turn on (one's) heel

To suddenly leave or depart. After walking in on an obviously private conversation, I turned on my heel and stepped right back out of the room. Several high-profile sponsors have turned on their heels following the athlete's controversial statements.

See also: heel, on, turn

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

turn on one's heel

Leave, as in When I inquired about his sister, he turned on his heel and walked away. This idiom alludes to making a sharp about-face similar to a military step but here usually implies a sudden departure. It was first recorded in 1751.

See also: heel, on, turn

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.