turn turtle

verb turns turtle · turning turtle · turned turtle · turn the turtle

1. historical, intransitive To capture a turtle by turning it onto its back. Before Noon, the next Day, I sent off the Master, Mr. Aikin, and a Party to the Island, victualled for a week, to turn Turtle. The Evening brought us light breezes with fine pleasant Weather; and the Cutter came back with a couple of Turtle, which we served out as before.
2. intransitive Especially of a boat or ship, or some other vehicle: to turn upside down. Gymnastics of every description, even the Kroo canoe afforded its mite towards the general hilarity, by turning turtle with the awkward aspirants for paddling fame.

   Similar: turtle

3. figuratively, intransitive To fail; to go belly up. On a day-to-day basis, his [Bill Hartack's] business turned turtle; some years he wouldn't even win a hundred races. But at Derby time, he was still the jockey of choice, in demand for many of the major trainers.
4. dated, idiomatic To become upset.
5. intransitive To roll upside down with one's surfboard (usually a longboard) to allow a wave, especially a wave that has already broken, to pass over. As you encounter waves on the way out, you have five ways of getting past them: […] Turn turtle. Turn upside down and hang onto the rails (i.e., the edges) near the nose of the board, pulling it downward, so that the oncoming wave pushes on this slanted shield, forcing you and the forward part of th