Turn Over a New Leaf

Welcome to English in a Minute!

Leaves grow on trees. You know that.

But the word “leaf” has a few other meanings in the English language.

Turn over on new leaf.

Wow, Anna! You seem a lot happier and more awake than you usually do in the morning.

I am!

Because now I am a morning person!

Since when?

Johnathan, I’ve turned over a new leaf.

I wake up early. I run.

I read the entire newspaper.

All before seven.

Wow!

To “turn over a new leaf” is about new beginnings.

It means to change your behavior or lifestyle, in a positive way.

In this expression, “leaf” refers to a page in a book, another definition of the word.

And that’s English in a Minute!