The Collaborative International Dictionary
Turtle \Tur"tle\, 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.]
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(Zo["o]l.) Any one of the numerous species of Testudinata, especially a sea turtle, or chelonian.
Note: In the United States the land and fresh-water tortoises are also called turtles.
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(Printing) The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press.
Alligator turtle, Box turtle, etc. See under Alligator, Box, etc.
green turtle (Zo["o]l.), 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 (Zo["o]l.), a large, handsome cowrie ( Cypr[ae]a 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.
Usage examples of "turtle grass".
There are stands of manatee grass and turtle grass, their leaves pale from the fine sand lying over them.
Slowly the canoe moved up the sand until at last it was over the back tideline and among the rocks and turtle grass and low sea-grape bushes.
It started with the turtle grass, essential cover for shrimp, baby lobsters and small fish.
The tide was up so they had to wade, skating their feet across the mud and turtle grass.
At first the turtle grass tickled her toes, then it began to sting.
Surrounded by sea cucumber and spider crabs, Booger fed among the swaying, strap-bladed turtle grass.
First: the crest of the skull breaking the surface, Ott's hair dripping to one side like brown turtle grass.