turn turtle

Idioms and Phrases

Capsize, turn upside down, as in When they collided, the car turned turtle . This expression alludes to the helplessness of a turtle turned on its back, where its shell can no longer protect it. [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

There are baths too deep to get out of, so you have to turn turtle and push yourself up and out.

From BBC

The ship was trying to turn turtle.

From Literature

It was a matter of some difficulty to get the anchor so evenly adjusted on the raft that the latter would not turn turtle; but after some patient manoeuvring Dennis arranged it squarely in the centre, and when the tide came in the whole floated with a fair appearance of stability.

From Project Gutenberg

And, after the manner of such eccentric craft, the canvas shell proceeded to turn turtle.

From Project Gutenberg

Tur′tleback, a turtle-shaped projection on the bows or stern of a ship for the purpose of keeping off heavy seas; Tur′tler, a hunter of turtles; Tur′tle-shell, tortoise-shell: a turtle-cowry; Tur′tle-soup, a soup the chief ingredient of which is turtle meat; Turt′ling, the catching of turtles.—Green turtle, a species of turtle which attains great size and is the source of real turtle-soup—its eggs also are much prized; Mock turtle, a soup made of calf's head in lieu of turtle meat; Turn turtle, to capsize, as a boat.

From Project Gutenberg