box tortoise

box tortoise
noun
chiefly terrestrial turtle of North America; shell can be closed tightly
• Syn: ↑box turtle
• Hypernyms: ↑turtle
• Member Holonyms: ↑Terrapene, ↑genus Terrapene

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noun or box turtle
: any of three No. American land tortoises (genus Terrapene syn. Cistudo) that can withdraw entirely within the shell and close it by hinged joints in the lower shell

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box turtle or box tortoise,
any one of several species of American land turtles, which can withdraw entirely within their shells and close them by hinges in the lower halves.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Box tortoise — Tortoise Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Box tortoise — Box Box, n.; pl. {Boxes} [As. box a small case or vessel with a cover; akin to OHG. buhsa box, G. b[ u]chse; fr. L. buxus boxwood, anything made of boxwood. See {Pyx}, and cf. {Box} a tree, {Bushel}.] 1. A receptacle or case of any firm material… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • box tortoise — noun see box turtle …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • carolina box tortoise — noun Usage: usually capitalized C : the common box tortoise (Terrapene carolina) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Tortoise — Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in allusion to its …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tortoise beetle — Tortoise Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tortoise plant — Tortoise Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tortoise shell — Tortoise Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tortoise-shell butterfly — Tortoise Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tortoise-shell turtle — Tortoise Tor toise, n. [OE. tortuce, fr. OF. tortis crooked, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere, tortum, to wind; cf. F. tortue tortoise, LL. tortuca, tartuca, Pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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