turtle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Any land or marine reptile of the order Testudines, characterised by a protective shell enclosing its body. See also tortoise.

   A unique anti-aphrodisiac was the heart of a turtle carried in a wolf's skin. It prevented a person from ever being tempted amorously.

2. 2
   noun

   An on-screen cursor that serves the same function as a turtle for drawing.

   Depending on which version of Logo you have, the turtle may look like an actual animal with a head and four legs or — as in Berkeley Logo — it may be represented as a triangle.

3. 3
   noun

   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.

4. 4
   verb

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

   Were speeding when car turtled […] Auto crashed into curb and turtled.

5. 5
   verb

   To move along slowly.

   We turtled along in Manitoba, back into the heart of the prairies.

6. 6
   verb

   To turn and swim upside down.

   I turtled my board beneath it, flipped upright, and started paddling again.

7. 7
   verb

   To hunt turtles, especially in the water.

   Of these, 80 turtled (65%), 26 hunted and turtled (20%), and 18 hunted (15%).

8. 8
   noun

   A turtle dove.

   The same he tooke, and with a riband new, / In which his Ladies colours were, did bind / About the turtles neck […].

Etymology

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).