turtle grass

1 definition found

turtle grass - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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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     1. (Zool.) Any one of the numerous species of Testudinata,
        especially a sea turtle, or chelonian.
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     Note: In the United States the land and fresh-water tortoises
           are also called turtles.
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     2. (Printing) The curved plate in which the form is held in a
        type-revolving cylinder press.
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     Alligator turtle, Box turtle, etc. See under Alligator,
        Box, etc.
  
     green turtle (Zool.), 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 (Zool.), a large, handsome cowrie (Cypraea  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.
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