TURTLE
turtle
(noun) any of various aquatic and land reptiles having a bony shell and flipper-like limbs for swimming
turtleneck, turtle, polo-neck
(noun) a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
turtle
(verb) hunt for turtles, especially as an occupation
capsize, turtle, turn turtle
(verb) overturn accidentally; “Don’t rock the boat or it will capsize!”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Noun
turtle (plural turtles)
(zoology, US, Canada) Any land or marine reptile of the order Testudines, characterised by a protective shell enclosing its body. See also tortoise.
Synonyms: shellpad, shield-toad (archaic)
(zoology, Australia, British, specifically) A marine reptile of that order.
Synonym: sea turtle
(military, historical) An Ancient Roman attack method, where the shields held by the soldiers hide them, not only left, right, front and back, but also from above.
Synonym: testudo
(computing) A type of robot having a domed case (and so resembling the reptile), used in education, especially for making line drawings by means of a computer program.
(computing) An on-screen cursor that serves the same function as a turtle for drawing.
(printing, historical) The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press.
(comptheory) A small element towards the end of a list of items to be bubble sorted, and thus tending to take a long time to be swapped into its correct position. Compare rabbit.
(dance) A breakdancing move consisting of a float during which the dancer's weight shifts from one hand to the other, producing rotation or a circular "walk".
(television) A low stand for a lamp etc.
• Alan Bermingham, Location Lighting for Television
Verb
turtle (third-person singular simple present turtles, present participle turtling, simple past and past participle turtled)
To flip over onto the back or top; to turn upside down.
To turn and swim upside down.
To hunt turtles, especially in the water.
(video games, board games) To build up a large defense force and strike only punctually, rather than going for an offensive strategy.
Etymology 2
Noun
turtle (plural turtles)
(now rare, archaic) A turtle dove.
Anagrams
• Lutter, ruttle, turlet
Proper noun
Turtle
A river in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Noun
Turtle (plural Turtles)
A member of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Turtles, a drinking club.
Anagrams
• Lutter, ruttle, turlet
Source: Wiktionary
Tur"tle, n. Etym: [AS. turtle, L. turtur; probably of imitative
origin. Cf. Turtle the sea tortoise.] (Zoöl.)
Definition: The turtledove.
Tur"tle, n. Etym: [Probably the same word as the word preceding, and
substituted (probably by sailors) for the Spanish or Portuguese name;
cf. Sp. tortuga tortoise, turtle, Pg. tartaruga, also F. tortue, and
E. tortoise.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Definition: Any one of the numerous species of Testudinata, especially a
sea turtle, or chelonian.
Note: In the United States the land and fresh-water tortoises are
also called turtles.
2. (Printing)
Definition: The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving
cylinder press. Alligator turtle, Box turtle, etc. See under
Alligator, Box, etc.
– green turtle (Zoöl.), a marine turtle of the genus Chelonia,
having usually a smooth greenish or olive-colored shell. It is highly
valued for the delicacy of its flesh, which is used especially for
turtle soup. Two distinct species or varieties are known; one of
which (Chelonia Midas) inhabits the warm part of the Atlantic Ocean,
and sometimes weighs eight hundred pounds or more; the other (C.
virgata) inhabits the Pacific Ocean. Both species are similar in
habits and feed principally on seaweed and other marine plants,
especially the turtle grass.
– Turtle cowrie (Zoöl.), a large, handsome cowrie (Cypræa
testudinaria); the turtle-shell; so called because of its fancied
resemblance to a tortoise in color and form.
– Turtle grass (Bot.), a marine plant (Thalassia testudinum) with
grasslike leaves, common about the West Indies.
– Turtle shell, tortoise shell. See under Tortoise.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition