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Turned out

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on February 17, 2009 at 12:39

In Reply to: Turned out posted by Manus Mccaughey on February 17, 2009 at 08:48:

: I believe the phrase "turned out" has its origins in baking. It makes sense. When you bake a cake you don't know how it will be until you turn it out. I think it doesn't make sense otherwise. The phrase is now so widely used you think it makes sense til you think about it.

what does anyone think. I cant see any corroberation on this. I would be interested if you think it nonsense or agree.

There are two strikes against that idea. One is that there are many very ancient senses of "turn" that make sense with "turn out"; e.g. "to change [something[, to make [something] into..."; similarly "out" is used in many constructions to signify resolution and conclusion, e.g. "make out", "give out", "fall out". Another is that the cake tin is a relatively modern invention; in the 18th century - when "turned out" was already an established phrase, cakes were made by standing it on a baking sheet and surrounding it with a withy hoop. When it was baked you just slid the hoop off; you didn't "turn it out". (VSD)

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