English · Phrasal verb Attested

turtle down

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To shrink (to cower or flinch).

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Cúi xuống hoặc co lại

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

As soon as he entered the haunted house, he turtled down into his jacket.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Topics: Turtles

Common questions

What does “turtle down” mean?

To shrink (to cower or flinch).

Is “turtle down” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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