Buzz
The Oxford English Dictionary explains that to 'turn the tables' on someone means to flip the situation in your favor, reversing your position so that you’re no longer at a disadvantage. This phrase often appears in contexts like motivational speeches at sporting events. But where does this idiom actually come from?
Surprisingly, it originates from board games!
Backgammon and other similar games fall under a category known as 'tables'—a term used for board games that involve dice. In the game, if you were losing, you might 'turn the tables' metaphorically in order to change your fortune. While you can’t literally turn the board over in backgammon, the phrase works as a metaphor for a comeback, implying a complete reversal of the players’ positions to alter the outcome.
Although not directly tied to the modern meaning of the phrase, there is a historical connection in the words themselves that can be traced back to old-fashioned dinner party etiquette. To ensure no one was left out of the conversation, the host would typically choose a direction (usually to the right) and engage the person seated there. Everyone else would follow suit, and midway through the meal, the host would 'turn the tables,' shifting the focus to the person on the opposite side.
