phrases, sayings, proverbs and idioms at

The meaning and origin of the expression: Done to a turn

Done to a turn

Other phrases about:

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Done to a turn'?

Cooked just right.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Done to a turn'?

Since at least the end of the first Millennium, food, especially meat, has been cooked on spits. The English abbot and scholar, Aelfric of Eynsham, referred to them as 'spitu' in Latin Grammar and Glossary, circa 1000.

Done to a turnSpits were originally simple pointed sticks, which were used to hold meat near to a fire. Rotating spits were developed in the Middle Ages; initially turned by hand and later by various forms of powered mechanism.

The allusion in the phrase 'done to a turn', or 'roasted to a turn', is to food that had been cooked for the precisely correct number of turns of the spit. Both versions of the phrase date back to the 18th century and the 'roasted' form is first cited in a piece by an author called Mackenzie in Mirror No. 93, 1780:

"The beef was roasted to a turn."

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Browse phrases beginning with:
 
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ Full List