Upturnings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of improving or turning a situation for the better, as in a rise in fortunes or conditions
2. Instances of favorable changes in trends or circumstances, indicating a positive shift in the general direction
3. Occurrences of rising or upward movements that signify improvement in status, quality, or health

Etymology: "Upturnings" is simply the plural of "upturning," a noun formed from the verb "upturn" plus the suffix "-ing," which turns an action into a thing or instance. "Upturn" itself is built from "up" and "turn," so the word literally describes the act of turning something upward. The noun's first recorded form appears in Middle English as "upturnynge," which the source treats as either a direct combination of "upturn" and "-ing" or a combination of "up-" and "turning," so the two routes lead to the same meaning. The plural form, "upturnings," counts separate occurrences of that upward movement. In its figurative sense, the word has moved from describing something physically overturned upward to describing a turn for the better in a trend or situation, a change in direction that has been raised rather than lowered.

Synonyms: improvement, recovery, increase, advancement, boost

Antonyms: decline, decrease, deterioration, recession, setback