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About-face

The terms are nowadays used everywhere of course to mark a total turn or change in position, direction, policy. Naturally, "about-face" and "about-turn" are the same as "turnabout", as in "a turnabout in public opinion", or "turnaround", as in "a turnaround in fortune".

Here are examples:

1. about-face (change in policy):

Central bank chiefs, including those in Britain, the euro zone and Canada, may follow the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, in an about-face, shifting toward supporting economic growth and away from fighting inflation.

- In an about-face, central banks may start cutting rates, International Herald Tribune, October 1, 2007.

2. about-turn (change in policy):

A headline: In about turn, Bush signs climate change bill

- The Guardian, December 20, 2007.

3. turn about (move the body to face another direction):

The short gentleman turned about towards Carrie, and she arose and came forward.

- Sister Carire, Theodore Dreiser.

4. turnabout (change of position):

In a major diplomatic defeat for the US, Britain broke ranks Wednesday and joined more than 100 nations in agreeing in principle to an international ban on cluster bombs, the small, insidious weapons that have killed thousands of civilians in the aftermath of battle...

Advocates of the ban said Britain's turnabout Wednesday broke open the doors and led to several other nations' dropping significant objections to the agreement.