by-turning

English

Noun

by-turning (plural by-turnings)

1. (rare, archaic) A way turning from the main road; a sideroad.
   • a. 1587 (date written), Phillip Sidney [i.e., Philip Sidney], An Apologie for Poetrie. […], London: […] [James Roberts] for Henry Olney, […], published 1595, →OCLC; republished as Edward Arber, editor, An Apologie for Poetrie (English Reprints), London: [Alexander Murray & Son], 1 April 1868, →OCLC:

     the many by-turnings that may divert you from your way

   • c. 1667, James Howard, All Mistaken; or, The Mad Couple. A Comedy, Acted by His Majesty's Servants at the Theatre-Royal., London: printed by T. H. for R. Wellington […] , published 1710, act I, scene i, page 7:

     Alias Children, Sir: they have rung me / Such a Ring this Morning through / Every By-turning that leads to a Baudy- / Houſe, […]

   • 1850, Charles Rowcroft, chapter XXXV, in Fanny the Little Milliner; or, The Rich and the Poor, London: George Routledge and Co., page 155:

     But in endeavouring to pass down a by-turning which seemed more free from the obstruction of the crowd, there was a sudden rush of a mob of persons eager to catch a sight of some celebrated personage who was passing in the adjoining street in his carriage, […]

   • 1895, Arthur W. Pinero, The Amazons: A Farcical Romance in Three Acts, London: William Heinemann, [Act III], page 159:

     Noeline. / No, mother, but I got mixed up in a street-fight, through protecting a girl from a brute who was going to hit her. I punched him, mother! […] Noeline. / After I’d done it I ran away, and fainted in a by-turning.

   • 1917 September 13, Srgt. Dr. A. Pine, “Soldiers’ Letters”, in North Hastings Review, volume 40, number 37, Madoc, Ontario, page 8:

     Passing under Waterloo bridge on our left lay Summerset House^[sic] where all records of births, marriages and deaths are kept. Took a byturning on our left and reached the Strand, down which we proceeded to Trafalgar Square, saw the monument erected in memory of Lord Nelson.

Further reading

• “by-turning”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.