n. [ OE. touret, OF. tourette, dim. of tour a tower, L. turris. See Tower. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Arch.) A little tower, frequently a merely ornamental structure at one of the angles of a larger structure. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Railroads) The elevated central portion of the roof of a passenger car. Its sides are pierced for light and ventilation. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A narrow superstructure running from stem to stern on the upper deck of a steam cargo vessel having a rounded gunwale and sides curved inward convexly. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. 1. Furnished with a turret or turrets; specifically (Zool.), having the whorls somewhat flattened on the upper side and often ornamented by spines or tubercles; -- said of certain spiral shells. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Formed like a tower; as, a turreted lamp. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

. an attachment fitted to a lathe or other machinery which holds a variety of tools which can act on the object being worked, and which are interchangeable by a pivoting motion, thus allowing efficient performance of multiple operations; -- also called a turret. [ PJC ]

. a lathe fitted with a turrethead. [ PJC ]

. A whaleback steamer with a hatch coaming, usually about seven feet high, extending almost continuously fore and aft. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]