Origin and history of turntable

Middle English, from Old French table, tabel "board, square panel, plank; writing table; picture; food, fare" (11c.), and also a survival of late Old English tabele "flat and relatively thin surface of some hard material," especially "writing tablet (of slabs of wood, etc.,), gaming table," also "top of an altar, part of a pavement;" in late Old English "tablet intended for an inscription." The Old English word is from Germanic *tabal (source also of Dutch tafel, Danish tavle, Old High German zabel "board, plank," German Tafel).

Both the French and Germanic words are from Latin tabula "a board, plank; writing table; list, schedule; picture, painted panel," originally "small flat slab or piece" usually for inscriptions or for games (source also of Spanish tabla, Italian tavola), a word of uncertain origin, related to Umbrian tafle "on the board."

The sense of "piece of furniture consisting of a flat top on legs" is by c. 1300. The usual Latin word for this was mensa (see mensa); Old English writers used bord (see board (n.1)).

Especially the table at which people eat, hence "food placed upon a table" (c. 1400 in English). The meaning "columnar arrangement of words, numbers or other figures on a tabular surface for convenience" is recorded from late 14c. (as in table of contents, which is from mid-15c.).

The figurative phrase turn the tables (1630s) is from backgammon (in Middle English the game was called tables). Table talk "familiar conversation around a table" is attested from 1560s, translating Latin colloquia mensalis. Table manners is from 1824. Table-hopping is recorded by 1943. For under the table see under (prep.). Table-wine, suitable for drinking at a meal, is by 1670s. Table tennis "ping-pong" is recorded from 1887. Table-rapping in spiritualism, supposedly an effect of supernatural powers, is from 1853.

Middle English turnen, from late Old English turnian "rotate, revolve; move about an axis, center, or fixed position," also in part from Old French torner, tornier, Anglo-French turner "turn away or around; draw aside, cause to turn; change, transform; turn on a lathe" (Modern French tourner).

All are from Latin tornare "to polish, round off, fashion, turn on a lathe," from tornus "lathe," from Greek tornos "lathe, tool for drawing circles" (reconstructed in Watkins to be from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn").

From late 12c. as "change position or orientation so as to face or point in a different direction," hence "change course, go in a different direction." In reference to the tide, etc., "reverse course or direction," c. 1300.

Transitive senses in English are from c. 1200 as "cause to shift so as to face in a different direction;" by c. 1300 as "cause a change of course." Related: Turned; turning.

Many figurative senses and expressions (turn (something) into (something else)) likely grew from the notion of "shape (something) while rotating it on a lathe or wheel, form or fashion (a piece of wood or metal) with a chisel while the object is rotated," the classical sense, attested in English by mid-14c. "Execute in round outlines," hence "form, fashion, or shape in any way" (1610s).

From late 12c. as "cause to undergo transmutation from one substance to another." Hence "change in a character or property" (color, thickness, mass, etc.), c. 1300, also transitive. The sense of "become sour or tainted" is by 1570s.

Also from late 12c. as "lead to" (grief, advantage, etc.), "result as a consequence of;" from c. 1200 as "come to pass, happen, occur." Also from c, 1200 as "become inverted, assume a reverse or contrary position;" also "repel" (evil, danger); "rout in battle." By c. 1300 as "shift allegiance, shift loyalties, change sides," also transitive.

To turn down (v.) "reject" is recorded by 1891, American English. To turn in "go to bed" is attested from 1690s, originally nautical. Turn to "look to for help or hope, have recourse" is from late 14c. 

To turn the stomach "nauseate" is recorded from 1620s. To turn (something) loose "set free" is recorded from 1590s. To turn up one's nose as an expression of contempt is attested from 1779.