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Kehrtwendung

about-turn, U-turn

noun KAYRT-ven-doong Rare
Travel & Places Movement

Also means

complete reversal (figurative)

Usage Note

Kehrtwendung is literally an about-turn — a 180-degree turn on the spot (military origin). In everyday German it is also heavily used figuratively: eine politische Kehrtwendung ('a political U-turn'). The literal sense appears in hiking when you backtrack completely.

Examples

"Als er das Schild sah, machte er sofort eine Kehrtwendung."

Natural Translation

When he saw the sign, he immediately did an about-turn.

Literal Translation

When he the sign saw, made he immediately an about-turn.

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