Turn down means to refuse an offer, or to say no to an invitation, a job or an application. The second meaning is to reduce the sound, light or heating: turn down the music.
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turn down + offer/invitation/job; turn + someone/it + down; turn down + music/volume/heating
- She turned down a job in London because she didn't want to move.
- The bank turned down my loan application because my income was too low.
- Could you turn the music down a little? I'm on the phone.
What changed
First versionMaria refused from the job offer because the salary was too low.
RevisionMaria turned down the job offer because the salary was too low.
Refuse does not take from: refuse from is not an English combination. The correct versions are turned down the offer or refused the offer, both without a preposition.
Refuse is often followed by another verb: She refused to sign the contract. Turn down usually comes before a noun: an offer, an invitation, a candidate. You can't say She turned down to sign.
Your turn
Thank you for inviting me to the wedding, but I have to ___ the invitation because I'm working that weekend.
Show the answer
turn down — The speaker is working that weekend and can't come, so they are declining the invitation: turn down. Take up an invitation means to accept it, which contradicts the second half of the sentence.
Think of an offer you said no to: a job, a trip or an invitation. Write what you were offered and why you said no.
Last year I turned down a place on a summer course in Edinburgh because it clashed with my sister's wedding.
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