turn back

(verb) retrace one's course. Synonyms: backtrack, turn back, double back. Example: "The hikers got into a storm and had to turn back."

(verb) go back to a previous state. Synonyms: revert, return, retrovert, regress, turn back. Example: "We reverted to the old rules."

(verb) force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings. Synonyms: chase away, drive out, turn back, drive away, dispel, drive off, run off. Examples: "Drive away potential burglars." "Drive away bad thoughts." "Dispel doubts." "The supermarket had to turn back many disappointed customers."

(verb) hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of. Synonyms: check, turn back, arrest, stop, contain, hold back. Examples: "Arrest the downward trend." "Check the growth of communism in south east asia." "Contain the rebel movement." "Turn back the tide of communism."

(verb) turn inside out or upside down. Synonyms: turn back, invert, reverse.