Turtle

Quick meaning: Turtle is a noun meaning (zoology, Australia, British, specifically) A marine reptile of that order.

Meaning

(zoology, Australia, British, specifically) A marine reptile of that order.

More Meanings

1. (computing) An on-screen cursor that serves the same function as a turtle for drawing.
2. (printing, historical) The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press.
3. (zoology, US, Canada) Any land, marine, or semi-aquatic reptile of the order Testudines, characterised by a protective shell enclosing its body. See also tortoise.
4. (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.
5. (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.
6. (computing theory) 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.
7. (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".

Example Sentences

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

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

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

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

Word Forms

• turtles
• turtling
• turtled

Synonyms for turtle

Depending on context, synonyms include birdling, chelid, chelonian, shellpad, shield-toad, terrapin.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include tortoise, hawksbill, leatherback, ridley, swordfish, dove.

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