Weather & nature

Turn over a new leaf

To change your behaviour and start acting in a better way.

Examples

  • After failing his exams, he decided to turn over a new leaf and study every day.
  • I've turned over a new leaf – no more phone in bed.

How to use it

Neutral. Common with New Year's resolutions. The "leaf" is a page of a book, not a plant.

Where it comes from

"Leaf" here means a page, so the image is starting a fresh, clean page.