From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishturn on phrasal verb1 turn something ↔ onSWITCH ON OR OFF to make a machine or piece of electrical equipment such as a television, engine, light etc start operating by pushing a button, turning a key etc SYN switch on OPP turn off Jake turned on his computer and checked his mail.2 turn something ↔ onSWITCH ON OR OFF to make the supply of water, gas etc start flowing from something by turning a handle OPP turn off He turned on the gas and lit the stove. ‘I’m thirsty, ’ she said, turning on the tap.3 turn on somebody also turn upon somebodyATTACK to suddenly attack someone, using physical violence or unpleasant words Peter turned on Rae and screamed, ‘Get out of my sight!’4 turn on something also turn upon somethingDEPEND/IT DEPENDS if a situation, event, argument etc turns on a particular thing or idea, it depends on that thing As usual, everything turned on how much money was available.5 turn somebody onATTRACT to make someone feel sexually excited The way he looked at her really turned her on. → turn-on6 turn somebody onINTERESTED to interest someone, or to make someone become interested in something Science fiction just doesn’t turn me on.turn somebody on to It was Walter who turned me on to vegetarian food.7 turn on the charm also turn it on to suddenly start to be very nice, amusing, and interesting, especially in a way that is not sincere Simon was good at turning on the charm at parties. → turn→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
turn on• Do you want me to turn the lights on?• Then the warriors turned upon each other, for a fight to the death.• Red with rage, Frank turned on Anna, grasping her arm in a vice-like grip.• Use timers to turn on indoor lights while you are away.• He went into the bathroom and turned on the shower.turn somebody on• It's difficult telling your partner what actually turns you on.• Men with long hair really turn me on.• My last boyfriend always found nurses' uniforms a real turn-on.turn to• Tom turned the radio on to a station that played dance music.• I turned him on to it.• The other thing that turned me on to television was immediacy.• As Amin turned out on to the main road, there were two explosions, in quick succession.• The squeeze is, in turn, passed on to the next person.• Half closing my eyes, I turned and backed on to the porch.• And maybe for the first time in our lives, we turned that fury on to the world, away from ourselves.• Mr Cargill, he really turned me on to this stuff.turn on the charm• Wayne certainly knows how to turn on the charm when he wants something out of you.turn-onˈturn-on noun [singular] informalSEXY something that makes you feel excited, especially sexually It was a turn-on to be the centre of attention. → turn onExamples from the Corpus
turn-on• I found this such a turn-on that I nearly came then and there.• Who knows, it may even work as a kind of sick turn-on.• Her voice is a total turn-on. 