This is the 5244th most frequent Russian word.
обращать
To turn, direct, or convert.
The word 'обращать' is used here to mean 'to pay', in the sense of directing one's focus or attention to something.
Он всегда обращает внимание на детали.
He always pays attention to details.
The word 'обратиться', derived from 'обращать', is used here to mean 'to refer to', indicating turning to a resource for information or help.
Учитель попросил нас обратиться к словарю за объяснением.
The teacher asked us to refer to the dictionary for an explanation.
The word 'обращать' in this sentence means 'to turn', suggesting the transformation or conversion of one thing into another, specifically words into actions.