turtle-dove
(ˈtɜːt(ə)ldʌv)
Forms: see turtle n.1 and dove.
[f. turtle n.1 + dove: cf. Da. turteldue (Sw. turturdufva), Du. tortelduyf (Kilian -duyve), MLG. torteldûve, G. turteltaube (MHG. turtel-, türteltûbe, OHG. turtel-, turtil(i)-, turtula-tûba).]
1. a. A dove of the genus Turtur, esp. the common European species T. communis, noted for its graceful form, harmonious colouring, and affection for its mate: = turtle n.1 1.
Also applied to T. risorius, the Barbary dove, and locally to doves of other genera, as the N. American Zenaidura carolinensis, and the Australian Stictopelia cuneata.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11304 (Cott.) To offer turtuls douues [v.rr. turtill dovis, turtil douues, turtur doufes] tua. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 820 A turtyldoue he bare an hygh for hys crest. c 1530 Crt. of Love 234 Anelida, true as turtill-dove. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 83 Of all these fore-named kinds of Birds, there is none more apt to tame than the Turtle doues. 1742 Blair Grave 532 The shrill-tongu'd Shrew, Meek as the Turtle-Dove, forgets her Chiding. 1802 Montagu Ornith. Dict. G 6 b, Spotted-necked Turtle-dove. 1834 Pringle Afr. Sk. ix. 308 The turtle dove (Columba risoria) cooing amorously in every mimosa brake. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 17 July 14/3 The turtle-dove, which we see so frequently in the fanciers' shops,..is not the common turtle-dove of this country, but the Collared or Barbary dove. |
† b. sea turtle-dove, the Black Guillemot or Dovekie: = sea-turtle1. Obs.
| 1753 [see dove n. 1 c]. |
2. fig. applied to a person: cf. turtle n.1 2.
| 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxxiii[i]. 19 O delyuer not the soule of thy turtle doue vnto the beestes. 1575 Jud. Smith Misticall Deuise A iij b, My darling and my harts desyre, my onely Turtle Doue. a 1800 Fause Foodrage xxii. in Child Ballads II. 299, I shall learn your turtle-dow As well to write and read. 1856 Miss Mulock J. Halifax xix, I am not interested in old turtle-doves. |
3. Rhyming slang. A glove. (Usu. in pl.) Cf. turtle n.1 1 c.
| 1857 ‘Ducange Anglicus’ Vulgar Tongue 23 Turtle doves,..gloves. 1935 A. J. Pollock Underworld Speaks 127/1 Turtle doves, a pair of gloves. 1959 I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. xiv. 320 ‘Turtle doves’ for gloves, and so on, normally associated with cockneys, is neither confined to the metropolis, nor to the shift-for-a-living class. 1972 Lebende Sprachen XVII. 8/4 Turtle dove, glove. |
Hence as v. trans., ? to show affection for (another), like a turtle-dove for its mate. nonce-use. Also ˈturtle-ˈdoveism, ˈturtle-ˈdovery, nonce-wds.
| 1850 Ld. Lytton in Life (1906) I. ii. 25 Only just married, and in a state of turtle-doveism. 1886 K. S. Macquoid Sir J. Appleby iii, Half afraid I might be considered an intruder in such a turtle-dovery [the abode of a newly married couple]. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 196 Take her for me... Jove, a cool ruttime send them. Yea, turtledove her. |