[badclient]

Then why does "...turned on a television" work?

[js2]

Because it's a phrasal verb with multiple meanings: http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/turn-...

[badclient]

Right. The OP's comment made it seem like there are only two definitions of that phrase(neither of which applied to my example):

"turn on" is either "sexually attracted to" or "suddenly attack"

[wisty]

Yeah, I couldn't think of any other's. Phrasal verbs are tricky like that.

[lucisferre]

This comment thread was brought to you by the people who came here from /.