See Also: turtle(encyclopedia)
Little Turtle(encyclopedia)
turtle(2)(dictionary)
turtle(1)(dictionary)
sea turtle(medicine)
Turtle(medicine)
turtle(dictionary)
box turtle(encyclopedia)
Green Turtle Cay(tourism)
Myrtle the Turtle(recipes)

turtle(2) (iou)



turtle noun2 & verb2. M16.
[Perh. alt. of French tortue TORTOISE, or from Bermudian name.]
A. noun.
Any of several large marine chelonian reptiles which constitute the families Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae, having a streamlined body, non-retractable head, and limbs modified as flippers (also sea turtle). Also, any of various other, esp. freshwater, chelonians. M16.
box-turtle, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, leatherback turtle, loggerhead turtle, snapping turtle, soft-shell turtle, etc. turn turtle (a) catch turtles by throwing them on their backs; (b) turn over, capsize, be upset.
b. The flesh of various turtles used as food, esp. for soup. M18.
mock turtle soup: see MOCK adjective.
In full American turtle. An early form of submarine. obsolete exc. Hist. L18.
Printing. A cylindrical surface on which to secure type or stereotypes on a rotary press. obsolete exc. Hist. M19.
Computing. A directional cursor in a computer graphics system which can be instructed to move around a screen. L20.
Comb.: turtle-back (a) the back of a turtle; (b) an arched structure over the deck of a steamer; an upper deck curving down at the sides to give protection from damage in a heavy sea; (c) N. Amer. (the lid of) a rounded projecting boot on a motor vehicle; (d) Archaeology a large stone flake of oval shape with a convex flaked dorsal surface; (e) a ridge or hill shaped like a turtle-shell; turtle-backed adjective having a back like a turtle's; fitted with a turtle-back; turtle-crawl (a) an enclosure in which to keep turtles; (b) the track of a turtle to and from its nest; turtle-deck = turtle-back (b), (c) above; turtle-grass a submerged marine flowering plant of the Caribbean, Thalassia testudinum, of the frogbit family, with long grasslike leaves; turtlehead a N. American plant of the figwort family, Chelone glabra, allied to Pentstemon, so called from the shape of the flower; turtle-neck (a) a high close-fitting neck or collar on a knitted garment, intermediate in height between a crew neck and a polo-neck; a jersey etc. having such a collar; (b) US = polo-neck s.v. POLO noun1; turtle-necked adjective (of a garment) having a turtle-neck; turtle-shell the shell of a turtle; tortoiseshell; turtle-stone septarium (from the resemblance of the markings in cross-section to tortoiseshell).
b. verb.
verb intrans. Fish for or catch turtles. Chiefly as turtling verbal noun. M17.
verb trans. Make mock turtle soup out of. rare. M18.
verb trans. & intrans. Turn over, capsize. L19.
turtlet noun a small or young turtle M19.