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One of the definitions of "around":
in a circle or curve to face another way or the opposite way.
So, what does
"turn the box around" mean? Turn it by 180 degrees?
I'd say so. Yes. Or is it more generic? I think it has
an a usual meaning...
The next problem is: what does
"look around" mean. I thought it meant something like
"look in several directions, because you want to check something, find something, watch something, etc."
Me too. But one of my dictionaries gives this example, under the meaning I
wrote above (= in a circle or curve to face another way or the opposite
way).
They looked around when he called.
What does that mean? That they looked in several directions?
No. They're not using that meaning here, although I only know that because of where you said you found the example. Or did they just look back (180 degrees)?
Yes, by context. (I don't use around this way, however. In most contexts I would assume look around
meant some kind of searching behavior.) When I run across such
usage, I assume it's British. I think I would have said They turned around when he called or They turned around and looked at him when he called.
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CJ