Turning and boring mill, a kind of lathe having a vertical spindle and
horizontal face plate, for turning and boring large work. — Turning
bridge. See the Note under Drawbridge. — Turning engine, an engine
lathe. — Turning lathe, a lathe used by turners to shape their work. —
Turning pair. See the Note under Pair, n. — Turning point, the point
upon which a question turns, and which decides a case.
Turn"ing*ness, n. The quality of turning; instability; tergiversation.
[Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.
Tur"nip (?), n. [OE. turnep; probably fr. turn, or F. tour a turn,
turning lathe + OE. nepe a turnip, AS. npe, L. napus. Cf. Turn,v. t.,
Navew.] (Bot.) The edible, fleshy, roundish, or somewhat conical, root
of a cruciferous plant (Brassica campestris, var. Napus); also, the
plant itself. [Formerly written also turnep.]
Swedish turnip (Bot.), a kind of turnip. See Ruta-baga. — Turnip flea
(Zoöl.), a small flea-beetle (Haltica, or Phyllotreta, striolata),
which feeds upon the turnip, and often seriously injures it. It is
black with a stripe of yellow on each elytron. The name is also applied
to several other small insects which are injurious to turnips. See
Illust. under Flea-beetle. — Turnip fly. (Zoöl.) (a) The turnip flea.
(b) A two-winged fly (Anthomyia radicum) whose larvæ live in the turnip
root.
Tur"nip-shell" (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several large, thick, spiral
marine shells belonging to Rapa and allied genera, somewhat
turnip-shaped.
Tur"nix (?), n. [NL., fr. L. coturnix a quail.] (Zoöl.) Any one of
numerous species of birds belonging to Turnix or Hemipodius and allied
genera of the family Turnicidæ. These birds resemble quails and
partridges in general appearance and in some of their habits, but
differ in important anatomical characteristics. The hind toe is usually
lacking. They are found in Asia, Africa, Southern Europe, the East
Indian Islands, and esp. in Australia and adjacent islands, where they
are called quails (see Quail, n., 3.). See Turnicimorphæ.
Turn"key` (?), n.; pl. Turnkeys (&?;).
1. A person who has charge of the keys of a prison, for opening and
fastening the doors; a warder.
2. (Dentistry) An instrument with a hinged claw, — used for extracting
teeth with a twist.
Turn"-out` (?), n.; pl. Turn- outs (&?;). 1. The act of coming forth; a
leaving of houses, shops, etc.; esp., a quitting of employment for the
purpose of forcing increase of wages; a strike; — opposed to lockout.
2. A short side track on a railroad, which may be occupied by one train
while another is passing on a main track; a shunt; a siding; a switch.
3. That which is prominently brought forward or exhibited; hence, an
equipage; as, a man with a showy carriage and horses is said to have a
fine turn-out.
4. The aggregate number of persons who have come out, as from their
houses, for a special purpose.