turn turtle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She careened so badly that the girls shrieked and Malcolm himself thought she would turn turtle.

From The Red Year A Story of the Indian Mutiny by Tracy, Louis

Of course I may be struck by lightning tomorrow, or the car may turn turtle when we go down to be married, but I refuse to contemplate anything of the sort.

From Black Oxen by Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn

The car, jerked back like a mad horse caught by a lariat, reared up on its hind wheels, threatened to turn turtle, then crashed over on its side with its engine still racing wildly.

From Curlie Carson Listens In by Snell, Roy J. (Roy Judson)

In this nasty sea we were afraid she might turn turtle, as another steamer had done some months ago.

From Two Years with the Natives in the Western Pacific by Speiser, Felix

He had either to crash squarely into the other automobile or he had to run the risk of having his own machine turn turtle.

From Bert Wilson at the Wheel by Duffield, J. W.