| Idiom | Turn the Tables |
|---|---|
| Example | Notre Dame was beating us badly, but then we turned the tables on them and won! |
| Meaning | to reverse the situation; to make the opposite happen |
| Origin | This saying probably came from the early 1600s and has two possible origins. In some tabletop board games such as chess, checkers, and backgammon, the table was actually turned as part of the play. There were also tables that had two-sided tops. One side was polished smooth and used for eating; the other side was rougher and used for working on. You would turn the tabletop over when you needed to. Now when you "turn the tables" on someone, you're causing a complete reversal in the situation, usually to your advantage. |
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