Used about a phrase, a sentence, or a piece of writing that has been shaped with real care, so it sounds neat, elegant and satisfying. It is praise for the craft of the wording — the words are in a pleasing order, nothing is wasted, and you enjoy how it was said as much as what it said.

Used about用來形容 a phrase一個措辭、a sentence一個句子，or a piece of writing或一篇文字：that has been shaped with real care它被真正用心地雕琢過，so所以 it sounds聽起來 neat乾淨、elegant優雅 and satisfying又讓人滿足。 It它 is praise for是在稱讚 the craft of the wording遣詞的手藝——the words字詞 are in a pleasing order排得漂亮，nothing is wasted沒有一個字浪費，and you enjoy而你欣賞 how it was said它怎麼說 as much as不亞於 what it said它說了什麼。

You meet it almost only in the fixed pairing 'a well-turned phrase', and often in a slightly ironic way, when someone is good at sounding clever: 'He has a gift for the well-turned phrase, but he says very little.' The word feels literary and a bit old-fashioned; a student would read it far more often than say it.

You你 almost only幾乎只會 in the fixed pairing在固定搭配 'a well-turned phrase' 裡 meet it遇到它，and often而且常常 in a slightly ironic way帶一點反諷，when someone is good at sounding clever用在某人很會把話說得漂亮的時候：'He has a gift for the well-turned phrase, but he says very little.'他很有妙語的天分，但他說的內容很少。 The word這個字 feels literary感覺很文學 and a bit old-fashioned也有點老派；a student學生 would read it讀到它 than say it比說它 far more often機會多得多。

The picture behind it is a woodworker turning a piece of wood on a lathe until it is smooth and round — the writer 'turns' the sentence the same way.

The picture behind it它背後的畫面 is是 a woodworker一位木工 on a lathe在車床上 turning a piece of wood車一塊木頭，until it is smooth and round直到它又光又圓——the writer寫作的人 the same way也用同樣的方式 'turns' the sentence「車」他的句子。

There is one other, much older use you may meet in old novels: 'a well-turned ankle', meaning a shapely leg. That one sounds dated now and can come across as odd, so leave it to the books.

There is另外有 one other, much older use一個老得多的用法，you may meet in old novels你可能在舊小說裡遇到：'a well-turned ankle'，meaning意思是 a shapely leg一條線條好看的腿。 That one那一個 now現在 sounds dated聽起來過時，and can come across as odd還可能讓人覺得怪，so所以 leave it to the books把它留給書就好。