1. (Bot.) The root of Ipomœa Turpethum, a plant of Ceylon, Malabar, and Australia, formerly used in
medicine as a purgative; — sometimes called vegetable turpeth.
2. (Chem.) A heavy yellow powder, Hg3O2SO4, which consists of a basic mercuric sulphate; — called
also turpeth mineral.
Turpin
(Tur"pin) n. (Zoöl.) A land tortoise. [Obs.]
Turpitude
(Tur"pi*tude) n. [L. turpitudo, from turpis foul, base.] Inherent baseness or vileness of
principle, words, or actions; shameful wickedness; depravity. Shak.
Turquoise
(Tur*quoise", Tur*quois") n. [F. turquoise; cf. Pr. & Sp. turquesa, It. turchese, turchina,
LL. turchesius, turchina; — so called because first brought from Turkey. See 1st Turkey.] (Min.) A
hydrous phosphate of alumina containing a little copper; calaite. It has a blue, or bluish green, color,
and usually occurs in reniform masses with a botryoidal surface. [Formerly written also turcois, and
turkois.]
Turquoise is susceptible of a high polish, and when of a bright blue color is much esteemed as a gem.
The finest specimens come from Persia. It is also found in New Mexico and Arizona, and is regarded as
identical with the chalchihuitl of the Mexicans.
Turquoise
(Tur*quoise"), a. Having a fine light blue color, like that of choice mineral turquoise.
Turrel
(Tur"rel) n. [Cf. OF. touroul a little wooden instrument to fasten doors or windows.] A certain
tool used by coopers. Sherwood.
Turret
(Tur"ret) n. [OE. touret, OF. tourette, dim. of tour a tower, L. turris. See Tower.]
1. (Arch.) A little tower, frequently a merely ornamental structure at one of the angles of a larger structure.
2. (Anc. Mil.) A movable building, of a square form, consisting of ten or even twenty stories and sometimes
one hundred and twenty cubits high, usually moved on wheels, and employed in approaching a fortified
place, for carrying soldiers, engines, ladders, casting bridges, and other necessaries.
3. (Mil.) A revolving tower constructed of thick iron plates, within which cannon are mounted. Turrets
are used on vessels of war and on land.
4. (Railroads) The elevated central portion of the roof of a passenger car. Its sides are pierced for light
and ventilation.
Turret clock, a large clock adapted for an elevated position, as in the tower of a church. — Turret
head (Mach.), a vertical cylindrical revolving tool holder for bringing different tools into action successively
in a machine, as in a lathe. — Turret lathe, a turning lathe having a turret head. — Turret ship, an
ironclad war vessel, with low sides, on which heavy guns are mounted within one or more iron turrets,
which may be rotated, so that the guns may be made to bear in any required direction.
