Illustrative Context

It was heavy so it was hard to turn it.

Target Sense

• The most generic transitive verb for turning an object, in the sense of moving it with the result that its orientation changes (relative to some reference point).
• Select the most general term: avoid alternatives or derivatives (e.g. English phrasal verbs) with more specific meanings such as turn over, turn around, turn towards, orient. Although many such derivatives (with similar stems) may be available, select only the default, most general term.
• Provide the transitive verb; avoid different roots used for intransitives, reflexives, middles, etc.. (Where a language uses the same root for both transitive and other forms, then it is indeed the target term to select.)
• If a language uses different terms for turning in horizontal and vertical planes, then use the one prototypically for turning in the horizontal plane.
• Avoid terms specifically for only partial rotation, for complete rotation, or for multiple rotations. If there is no general cover or ambiguous term, select the one for 90 or 180 degree rotation, whichever is more basic in the language.
• Avoid more technical terms, such as rotate, reorient, gyrate, etc..
• Avoid terms specifically for torsional movement, e.g. twist.