Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
turn the tables
English answer:
put (someone) at an advantage against (attackers), putting the attackers at a disadvantage
Added to glossary by
Hakki Ucar
- The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2019-02-22 11:54:08 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Feb 19, 2019 05:55
5 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term
Not a translator
Türkiye
Türkiye
20 years in IT translation!
Native in: Turkish (Variant: Standard-İstanbul ) 
Works in: English, Turkish to English, English to Turkish
turn on the table
Non-PRO
English
Tech/Engineering
Engineering (general)
I could not be sure what exact meaning of "turn the table on" here ?
Can deception security tactics turn the tables on attackers?
Can deception security tactics turn the tables on attackers?
Change log
Apr 19, 2019 06:35: Hakki Ucar Created KOG entry
Responses
+3
1 hr
Selected
put (someone) at an advantage against (attackers), putting the attackers at a disadvantage
This is an idiomatic expression, but it's not "turn on the table" but "turn the tables", followed by "on (someone)". "Turn the tables" (always plural, tables), means reverse a situation from one of disadvantage to one of advantage, and "on" really means "towards" or "against", and expresses the adversary who is now in a position of disadvantage.
"turn the tables
to reverse completely a situation as it affects two opposing persons or groups"
"If you turn the tables on someone, you change the situation completely, so that instead of them causing problems for you, you are causing problems for them.
The only question is whether the President can use his extraordinary political skills to turn the tables on his opponents."
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/turn-th...
So it is asking whether these tactics would give an advantage to those who suffer an attack, so that the attackers would now be in difficulties: the defenders would themselves become attackers, and the attackers would be on the defensive.
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-02-19 07:38:18 GMT)
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I found this page, which may help you (I don't know Turkish so I've no idea whether the suggested translations are accurate):
https://tureng.com/en/turkish-english/turn the tables
"turn the tables
to reverse completely a situation as it affects two opposing persons or groups"
"If you turn the tables on someone, you change the situation completely, so that instead of them causing problems for you, you are causing problems for them.
The only question is whether the President can use his extraordinary political skills to turn the tables on his opponents."
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/turn-th...
So it is asking whether these tactics would give an advantage to those who suffer an attack, so that the attackers would now be in difficulties: the defenders would themselves become attackers, and the attackers would be on the defensive.
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-02-19 07:38:18 GMT)
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I found this page, which may help you (I don't know Turkish so I've no idea whether the suggested translations are accurate):
https://tureng.com/en/turkish-english/turn the tables
Note from asker:
| Tureng is correct in Turkish translation. thanks. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Daryo
: reverse the situation - those who were in weaker position find themselves in stronger position. (not necessarily "attacking" but able to take control / dictate terms / no longer be defenceless etc)
14 mins
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Thanks, Daryo. Yes, that's right.
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| agree |
Björn Vrooman
: Related (upper hand): https://www.forbes.com/sites/danwoods/2018/06/22/how-decepti... Deception security places decoys like mousetraps.
34 mins
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Thanks, Björn! So that's how they do it.
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| agree |
Jörgen Slet
5 hrs
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Thanks, Jörgen!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks"
Discussion