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

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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

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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

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