from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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 crooked feet. See {Torture}.]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of reptiles of the
order {Testudinata}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The term is applied especially to the land and
fresh-water species, while the marine species are
generally called turtles, but the terms tortoise and
turtle are used synonymously by many writers. See
{Testudinata}, {Terrapin}, and {Turtle}.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Rom. Antiq.) Same as {Testudo}, 2.
[1913 Webster]
{Box tortoise}, {Land tortoise}, etc. See under {Box},
{Land}, etc.
{Painted tortoise}. (Zool.) See {Painted turtle}, under
{Painted}.
{Soft-shell tortoise}. (Zool.) See {Trionyx}.
{Spotted tortoise}. (Zool.) A small American fresh-water
tortoise ({Chelopus guttatus} or {Nanemys guttatus})
having a blackish carapace on which are scattered round
yellow spots.
{Tortoise beetle} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
small tortoise-shaped beetles. Many of them have a
brilliant metallic luster. The larvae feed upon the leaves
of various plants, and protect themselves beneath a mass
of dried excrement held over the back by means of the
caudal spines. The golden tortoise beetle ({Cassida
aurichalcea}) is found on the morning-glory vine and
allied plants.
{Tortoise plant}. (Bot.) See {Elephant's foot}, under
{Elephant}.
{Tortoise shell}, the substance of the shell or horny plates
of several species of sea turtles, especially of the
hawkbill turtle. It is used in inlaying and in the
manufacture of various ornamental articles.
{Tortoise-shell butterfly} (Zool.), any one of several
species of handsomely colored butterflies of the genus
{Aglais}, as {Aglais Milberti}, and {Aglais urticae}, both
of which, in the larva state, feed upon nettles.
{Tortoise-shell turtle} (Zool.), the hawkbill turtle. See
{Hawkbill}.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Elephant \El"e*phant\ ([e^]l"[-e]*fant), n. [OE. elefaunt,
olifant, OF. olifant, F. ['e]l['e]phant, L. elephantus,
elephas, -antis, fr. Gr. 'ele`fas, 'ele`fantos; of unknown
origin; perh. fr. Skr. ibha, with the Semitic article al, el,
prefixed, or fr. Semitic Aleph hindi Indian bull; or cf.
Goth. ulbandus camel, AS. olfend.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A mammal of the order {Proboscidia} and family
{Elephantidae}, of which two living species, {Elephas
maximus} (formerly {Elephas Indicus}) and {Loxodonta
Africana} (formerly {E. Africanus}), and several fossil
species, are known. They have five toes, a long proboscis
or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the
extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. The molar
teeth are large and have transverse folds. Elephants are
the largest land animals now existing. The elephant is
classed as a pachyderm.
[1913 Webster]
2. Ivory; the tusk of the elephant. [Obs.] --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
{Elephant apple} (Bot.), an East Indian fruit with a rough,
hard rind, and edible pulp, borne by {Feronia elephantum},
a large tree related to the orange.
{Elephant bed} (Geol.), at Brighton, England, abounding in
fossil remains of elephants. --Mantell.
{Elephant beetle} (Zo["o]l.), any very large beetle of the
genus {Goliathus} (esp. {G. giganteus}), of the family
{Scarab[ae]id[ae]}. They inhabit West Africa.
{Elephant fish} (Zo["o]l.), a chim[ae]roid fish
({Callorhynchus antarcticus}), with a proboscis-like
projection of the snout.
{Elephant paper}, paper of large size, 23 [times] 28 inches.
{Double elephant paper}, paper measuring 263/4 [times] 40
inches. See Note under {Paper}.
{Elephant seal} (Zo["o]l.), an African jumping shrew
({Macroscelides typicus}), having a long nose like a
proboscis.
{Elephant's ear} (Bot.), a name given to certain species of
the genus Begonia, which have immense one-sided leaves.
{Elephant's foot} (Bot.)
(a) A South African plant ({Testudinaria Elephantipes}),
which has a massive rootstock covered with a kind of
bark cracked with deep fissures; -- called also
{tortoise plant}. The interior part is barely edible,
whence the plant is also called {Hottentot's bread}.
(b) A genus ({Elephantopus}) of coarse, composite weeds.
{Elephant's tusk} (Zo["o]l.), the tooth shell. See
{Dentalium}.
[1913 Webster]