turtle

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: tur=tle

CIDE DICTIONARY

turtle, n. [AS. turtle, L. turtur; probably of imitative origin. Cf. Turtle the sea tortoise.].

 The turtledove.  [1913 Webster]

turtle, n. [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.].

•  Any one of the numerous species of Testudinata, especially a sea turtle, or chelonian.  [1913 Webster]

  " In the United States the land and fresh-water tortoises are also called turtles."  [1913 Webster]
•  The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press.  [1913 Webster]

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 (Chelonia 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.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

turtle, n.
1 any of various marine or freshwater reptiles of the order Chelonia, encased in a shell of bony plates, and having flippers or webbed toes used in swimming.
2 the flesh of the turtle, esp. used for soup.
3 Computing a directional cursor in a computer graphics system which can be instructed to move around a screen.

Idiom

turn turtle capsize. turtle-neck
1 a high close-fitting neck on a knitted garment.
2 US = polo-neck.

Etymology

app. alt. of tortue: see TORTOISE

ROGET THESAURUS

turtle

Savoriness

N savoriness, good taste, deliciousness, delectability, relish, zest, appetizer, tidbit, titbit, dainty, delicacy, tasty morsel, appetizer, hors d'ouvres, ambrosia, nectar, bonne-bouche, game, turtle, venison, delicatessen, savory, delicious, tasty, well-tasted, to one's taste, good, palatable, nice, dainty, delectable, toothful, toothsome, gustful, appetizing, lickerish, delicate, exquisite, rich, luscious, ambrosial, scrumptious, delightful, per amusare la bocca, cela se laisse manger.