to turn back / turn down
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to turn down
To set something back to its original position or to an earlier, lower value by turning it.
Kannst du bitte die Heizung ein wenig zurückdrehen? Es ist zu warm hier.
Could you please turn the heating down a little? It's too warm in here.
'Zurückdrehen' (to turn back/turn down) is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'zurück' goes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Ich drehe die Musik etwas zurück, sie ist zu laut.
I'm turning the music down a bit; it's too loud.
You can easily recognize the meaning from the object. If 'zurückdrehen' (to turn back/turn down) refers to a physical object with a control dial or knob (heating, radio), the literal meaning is intended. If it refers to an abstract concept (time, development), the figurative meaning is intended.
Dreh bitte den Wasserhahn ganz zurück, er tropft.
Please turn the faucet all the way back; it's dripping.
In the figurative meaning, the verb is often used in fixed expressions. Especially common are 'die Zeit zurückdrehen' (to turn back time) and 'das Rad der Geschichte zurückdrehen' (to turn back the wheel of history).
Wenn ich die Zeit zurückdrehen könnte, würde ich vieles anders machen.
If I could turn back time, I would do many things differently.
to drive forward
'vorantreiben' and 'zurückdrehen' can both talk about developments, projects, or decisions. But they point in opposite directions. 'vorantreiben' means that you actively make sure something continues and makes progress. 'zurückdrehen' means figuratively that you want to undo a development or return to an earlier state. So 'vorantreiben' fits progress and forward movement. 'zurückdrehen' fits when something is supposed to become the way it was before again.
Nach der Entscheidung konnte niemand die Entwicklung einfach zurückdrehen.
After the decision, no one could simply turn back the development.
Das Team will das Projekt trotz der Probleme weiter vorantreiben.
The team wants to keep driving the project forward despite the problems.