turtle
see also: Turtle
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ˈtɜːtəl/
  • (America) enPR: tûrʹtəl, IPA: /ˈtɝtəl/, [ˈtʰɝɾɫ̩]
Noun

turtle (plural turtles)

  1. (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
  2. (zoology, Australia, British, specifically) A marine reptile of that order.
    Synonyms: sea turtle
  3. (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.
    Synonyms: testudo
  4. (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.
  5. (computing) An on-screen cursor that serves the same function as a turtle for drawing.
  6. (printing, historical) The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press.
  7. (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.
  8. (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".
  9. (television) A low stand for a lamp etc.
    • Alan Bermingham, Location Lighting for Television
      Using an appropriate turtle allows the full range of pan and tilt adjustments on the luminaire and avoids possible heat damage to floor coverings.
Translations Translations
  • French: tortue de mer
  • Portuguese: tartaruga
  • Russian: черепа́ха
Translations
  • Russian: черепа́ха
Verb

turtle (turtles, present participle turtling; past and past participle turtled)

  1. To flip over onto the back or top; to turn upside down.
    • 1919, Iowa Highway Commission, Service Bulletin, Issues 15-32‎, page 48
      Were speeding when car turtled […] Auto crashed into curb and turtled.
  2. To turn and swim upside down.
  3. To hunt turtles, especially in the water.
  4. (video games, board games) To build up a large defense force and strike only punctually, rather than going for an offensive strategy.
Translations Translations Noun

turtle (plural turtles)

  1. (now rare, archaic) A turtle dove.
    • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.8:
      The same he tooke, and with a riband new, / In which his Ladies colours were, did bind / About the turtles neck […] .
    • 1613, John Marston, William Barksted, The Insatiate Countess, I.1:
      As the turtle, every day has been a black day with her since her husband died, and what should we unruly members make here?

Turtle
Proper noun
  1. A river in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Noun

turtle (plural turtles)

  1. A member of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Turtles, a drinking club.



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