idiom / phrasal verb · formal
turn over in one's grave
UK/tɜːn ˈəʊvə ɪn wʌnz ɡreɪv/US/tɜrn ˈoʊvər ɪn wʌnz greɪv/GRAVE
used to say that someone who has died would be shocked or upset by something that is happening now
Examples
“If my grandfather saw the state of the old factory, he'd turn over in his grave.”
“She feared her mentor would turn over in his grave at the changes to the course.”
“Critics said the renovation would make the architect 'turn over in his grave.'”
Band 8 sentence
“Conservationists argue that the architect would turn over in his grave if he saw the modern extension to his original design.”
Collocations
- turn over in one's grave + if/when
- would turn over in his grave at the news
Word family
Common mistakes
turn in one's grave→turn over in one's grave
roll over in one's grave→turn over in one's grave
Say it for a higher band
5be shocked→6be horrified→7+turn over in one's grave
Synonyms
be horrified (posthumously)
Easily confused
roll over in one's grave
“He would roll over in his grave if he saw how the project turned out.”
Related words
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