[a. L. turbo (also turben), turbin-em a whirlwind or tornado, a spinning-top, a reel or spindle, a whirl, twirl, twist, revolution.]
† 1. A whirlwind, a tornado. Obs. rare.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 5. Those that have sailed to the Indies can inform them what force Hurricane’s and Turbo’s have.
ǁ 2. (mod.L., pl. turbines.) A genus of gastropod mollusks, typical of the family Turbinidæ, having a regularly turbinate or whorled shell, with a rounded aperture and a calcareous operculum; also loosely, any member of the Turbinidæ; any turbinate or wreathed shell.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. The turbines are great, eared, tuberous.
1760–72. trans. Juan & Ulloa’s Voy. (ed. 3), I. 168. This species of turbines, the juice of which is also used in dying cotton threads.
1779. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr., Ser. II. (1862), II. 475. She has found at her grotto some shells,… and found on Bunster a left-handed tooth’d turbo.
1837. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 7), XV. 347/2. A rigorous examination of the turbines of British writers.
1884. G. Allen, in Pall Mall G., 26 Sept., 4/1. The objects inside the bower [of the Australian bower-bird] comprise a large and very handsome marine shell,… a pale blue turbo; a purplish pink cowrie.
3. Mech. = TURBINE: cf. next. colloq.
1904. Electr. World & Engin., 30 July, 1651. Oil coolers are erected in the basement below the turbos, through which the lubricating oil is passed, and cooled by means of a cold water circulation.
