🐢 A shelled reptile 🛡️ To play defensively ⛵ To capsize 🎣 To hunt turtles

to turtle

1 9.6

To hunt for turtles as a job

verb
/ˈtɜːrtl/

Archaic

: cazar tortugas

Turtling was undoubtedly one of the first commercial fisheries in the southeastern United States, not only because sea turtles were abundant, but also because of the relative ease of capture when laying eggs on deserted beaches.

Examples

During the summer, many fishermen would turtle along the coast to gather eggs for local markets.
The local community still practices turtling, respecting the traditions of their ancestors while ensuring sustainability.
-We'd dive every day... ...and get fish and lobster, and turtle in those days.

Riding Giants (2004)
He decided to turtle for a few weeks this season to replenish his stocks of sea turtle meat.

Phrasal Verbs

to turn turtle

1 8.4

To flip over so the bottom becomes the top, often about boats or cars

to turtle up

Informal

1 9.8

To become quiet and avoid people when feeling stressed or afraid

Compounds

sea turtle

22 2.5

A large turtle that lives in the sea and uses flippers to swim

turtle soup

5 6.3

A soup made from turtle meat that people eat on special occasions

snapping turtle

4 5.4

A large freshwater animal with a strong jaw that can bite when frightened

box turtle

3 5.2

A North American land turtle with a high shell that can close tightly to protect itself

green turtle

2 3.9

A large sea turtle with a smooth greenish shell that lives in warm seas

mock turtle

Archaic

1 8.6

A soup like turtle soup made without turtle meat

mock turtle soup

Archaic

1 8.2

A soup made from a calf's head or other meat that copies turtle soup

leatherback turtle

1 5.0

A very large sea turtle with a soft, leather-like shell that swims long distances

loggerhead turtle

Specialized

1 4.8

A large sea turtle with a broad head that eats crabs and fish

alligator snapping turtle

1 7.9

A large freshwater turtle from the southeastern United States with three shell ridges and a powerful jaw

marine turtle

1 2.6

A large sea animal with a hard shell and flippers that lives in warm oceans

painted turtle

1 5.1

A freshwater turtle with bright yellow and red marks on its shell and skin

green turtle soup

Archaic

1 7.5

A soup made from the meat of green turtles, often served as a special food

mud turtle

1 6.8

A small freshwater turtle that lives on the bottom of soft wet rivers and streams

hawksbill turtle

Specialized

1 7.5

A sea turtle with a pointed, hawk-like beak and a beautiful patterned shell that is endangered

soft-shelled turtle

1 7.2

A water turtle with a flat soft shell that lives in rivers and lakes and bites hard

turtle bean

1 5.0

A small black bean often dried and used in cooking

musk turtle

1 7.7

A small freshwater turtle that gives off a strong smell when threatened

red-bellied turtle

1 8.2

A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell that lives in rivers near Chesapeake Bay

leathery turtle

1 4.8

A very large sea turtle with a soft, flexible shell instead of hard plates

Western box turtle

Specialized

1 6.6

A land turtle with a shell that closes living on prairies in the western United States and northern Mexico

bastard turtle

Specialized

8.9

A grey sea turtle that lives on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America

common snapping turtle

4.2

A large freshwater turtle with a strong hooked jaw that bites when threatened

gopher turtle

7.7

A large land tortoise that lives in burrows in the southeastern United States

pancake turtle

9.8

A turtle that lives in water with a flat flexible shell, thick skin, and a strong bite

tortoiseshell turtle

8.2

A tropical sea turtle with a hooked beak and a beautiful patterned shell valued for decoration and food

turtle-crawl approach

Informal

8.2

A very slow way of doing something that wastes time

Surface Forms

turtle infinitive

turtled past

turtled past participle

turtling present participle

turtles third person singular

Etymology

Turtle as a verb comes from the animal name turtle, and it originally meant to hunt or catch these animals. So to turtle can mean 'to hunt turtles'.