Done to a turn

Posted by R. Berg on August 22, 2002

In Reply to: Phrases posted by nancy k on August 22, 2002

: : : I am trying to find the origin of the phrase "done to a turn" Any ideas?

: : : Thanks

: : A guess -- meat cooked on a rotating spit?

: This may have been used in colonial times by Pilgrims using a reflector oven....not sure

The Oxford English Dictionary says "orig. in reference to the turns of the spit." It has two quotations to illustrate "done to a turn"; they're dated 1780 and 1864. That would be too late for the Pilgrims (and I hadn't known they had reflector ovens).

• Done to a turn Nancy K 08/22/02