Webster's English Dictionary

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turtle

1. tur.tle \'t*rt-*l\ n [ME, fr. OE turtla, fr. L turtur, of imit. origin] 
   archaic  : TURTLEDOVE 
2. turtle n or turtles also turtle [prob. by folk etymology fr. F tortue, 
   prob. fr. (assumed) VL tartaruc] pl  often attrib a, fr. LL tartarucha, 
   fem. of tartaruchus of Tartarus, fr. Gk tartarouchos, fr. Tartaros Tartarus 
   : any of an order (Testudinata) of land, freshwater, and marine reptiles w 
   ith a toothless horny beak and a bony shell which encloses the trunk and 
   into which the head, limbs, and tail usu. may be withdrawn
3. turtle \'t*rt-lin, -*l-in\ vi or tur.tling : to catch turtles esp. as an 
   occupation