turtle

Everyday

1. A turtle is a reptile with a hard shell on its back that covers its body; many turtles live in the sea or in rivers and ponds. tree →
2. In American English, turtle is often used for any animal with this kind of shell, including tortoises. tree →

In the lessons

In science, turtles are reptiles: they are cold-blooded, breathe air and lay eggs on land; sea turtles swim thousands of kilometres. In environment lessons, plastic bags hurt sea turtles because they look like jellyfish. Phrases: sea turtle, turtle shell, turn turtle (turn upside down).

Examples

• The sea turtle laid her eggs in the sand. tree →
• Turtles pull their heads into their shells. tree →
• Baby turtles crawl to the sea at night. tree →
• A turtle must come up to breathe air. tree →
• Plastic in the ocean harms turtles. tree →
• Our class pet is a turtle called Speedy. tree →
• The boat turned turtle in the storm. tree →
• Turtles have no teeth but a sharp beak. tree →
• The movement, gentle though it was, woke the turtle. tree →

Note

Countable. In the UK and Australia, turtle usually means one that lives in water, and tortoise one that lives on land; Americans may call both turtles. A turtle cannot climb out of its shell: the shell is part of its skeleton.

In Jewish tradition

Turtle-doves were the cheap offerings of poorer people, brought as burnt-offerings or sin-offerings. In the Psalms Israel is called God's turtle-dove, weak and in need of protection. In the Song of Songs its voice is a sign of spring, and Jeremiah says it knows its season of migration.

Interpretation. Tradition notes that the Torah allowed a poor person to bring a bird so everyone could offer something, and it honors what a person can afford.

Examples

• And he shall offer one of the turtle-doves, or of the young pigeons, such as his means suffice for; (Torah LEV.14.30, JPS 1917) tree →
• And if his offering to the LORD be a burnt-offering of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons. (Torah LEV.1.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• and two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, such as his means suffice for; and the one shall be a sin-offering, and the other a burnt-offering. (Torah LEV.14.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of Thy poor for ever. (Writings PSA.74.19, JPS 1917) tree →
• The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (Writings SNG.2.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the ordinance of the LORD. (Prophets JER.8.7, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable. In the UK and Australia, turtle usually means one that lives in water, and tortoise one that lives on land; Americans may call both turtles. A turtle cannot climb out of its shell: the shell is part of its skeleton.

Early Modern English

Meaning

A small wild dove, not a reptile. tree →

Then and now

Today "turtle" means a reptile with a shell. The old sense is the turtle-dove, a bird.

Examples

• And he shall offer one of the turtle-doves, or of the young pigeons, such as his means suffice for; (Torah LEV.14.30, JPS 1917) tree →
• "Hither, thither, through the sky, turtle-doves and linnets, fly! (Grimm's Fairy Stories) tree →
• And if his offering to the LORD be a burnt-offering of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons. (Torah LEV.1.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Today: turtle-dove.