turtle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A reptile with a hard protective shell, living on land or in water.

   A sea turtle slowly made its way up the beach to lay its eggs.

2. 2
   verb

   To flip over onto its back or top; to turn upside down.

   The car hit the curb at speed and turtled into the ditch.

3. 3
   verb

   To move along very slowly.

   We turtled along the muddy road for hours.

Modification of Middle English tortou, tortu, from Old French tortüe (under the influence of Middle English turtel, turtur (“turtledove”), see Etymology 2 below), from Medieval Latin tortuca (compare Spanish tortuga), the same source of tortoise (see there for more). Displaced native Old English byrdling (See birdling).

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