What it means
Means you flip the script so the person who had the upper hand suddenly hasn’t. One minute you’re on the back foot, next you’re calling the shots. It’s used for arguments, games, office politics, whatever, and you don’t have to actually spin any furniture. Handy phrase for those little comeback moments when you stop reacting and start setting the agenda.
Usage examples
"He was grilling me in the meeting, then I turned the tables and asked why his numbers were a mess. Room went dead quiet."
"She was getting roasted in the debate, then she quoted his own report back at him and totally turned the tables."
"We were two goals down at half time, came out firing and turned the tables before the hour mark."
"He came in thinking he was gonna rinse me in front of everyone, then I turned the tables and pulled up the receipts on my phone."
"They had us looking finished in the second half, but one goal changed the mood and we turned the tables proper."
Where it comes from
It goes back to old English board games once called tables, especially backgammon. In some setups the board could literally be turned, flipping the players’ positions and changing who had the edge. That physical switch gave the phrase its punch, and later it slid into everyday speech for any sharp reversal.
