A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

trouble man
– 326 –

---

phrase turn someone on—(coll.) cause a person to become inter-
ested or (sexually) excited: I went to bed with him a couple of
times. But he never really turned me on. Cf.: turn someone on
to something —(coll.) cause smb. to become interested or involved
in smth. (especially drugs): Someone in prison turned her on
to heroin but she uses it rarely.
turn to someone —go to smb. for help, advice, comfort, etc.:
Bruce has always been really close with his Dad and has always
turned to him for support.
turn on the waterworks • turn someone’s water off
turn on the waterworks —(coll.) begin to cry (also: turn on
the water tap): Sally turned on the waterworks when she got
yelled at.
turn someone’s water off —(coll.) make a person appear more
modest (usually of smb. who is acting too arrogant): It took a
scolding from the coach to turn Tom’s water off.
turn one’s back on someone • when someone’s
back is turned
turn one’s back on someone —abandon or ignore smb.; refuse
to support a person: When he seemed to turn his back on me
I felt bereft, really. But then one day he rang up and I could
hear his voice shaking with emotion.
when someone’s back is turned — do smth. when a person is
not present or looking: If they’re saying this about Fred, what
are they saying about me when my back is turned?
Note: 
Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase
see the back of someone
— be pleased when smb. leaves because
one does not like the person: I wasn’t sorry to see the back of
Suzy after what she did, but it really broke my heart to let
Ziggy go.