to turtle
- verb
- /ˈtɜːrtl/
- The sailboat turtled in the heavy winds, causing the passengers to quickly jump overboard.
Examples
-
We did Santa's Rocking Holiday Regatta, and the boat carrying Santa Claus turtled, and Santa just went right down.
-
During the storm, the small boat turtled and left the crew scrambling to stay afloat.
-
While racing, their vessel turtled unexpectedly, flipping over in the choppy waters.
Synonyms
To turn over in the water by accident
To flip over so the bottom becomes the top, often about boats or cars
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
- US
A North American land turtle with a high shell that can close tightly to protect itself
A large freshwater turtle from the southeastern United States with three shell ridges and a powerful jaw
A very large sea turtle with a soft, leather-like shell that swims long distances
- Archaic
A soup made from the meat of green turtles, often served as a special food
- Specialized
A grey sea turtle that lives on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America
A large freshwater turtle with a strong hooked jaw that bites when threatened
- Specialized
A sea turtle with a pointed, hawk-like beak and a beautiful patterned shell that is endangered
A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell that lives in rivers near Chesapeake Bay
A turtle that lives in water with a flat flexible shell, thick skin, and a strong bite
A tropical sea turtle with a hooked beak and a beautiful patterned shell valued for decoration and food
A water turtle with a flat soft shell that lives in rivers and lakes and bites hard
- Specialized
A land turtle with a shell that closes living on prairies in the western United States and northern Mexico
How Overturned
Surface Forms
Etymology
Turtle meaning 'to turn completely upside down' comes from the image of a turtle flipped on its back and unable to move. So to turtle a boat is to capsize it and leave it upside down.