Obs. or dial. Forms: 4–5 toret, 5 torett, touret, 5–6 torrett, turet(t, turrett, 5–8 torret, 6 (9) turret. [ME. toret, touret, a. OF. toret, dim. of tor (12th c.), tour a round, circuit, circle, ring: see TOUR. From the 15th c. this word is also found as ter(r)et, tyret, tyrret, which in senses b and d are the ordinary forms: see TERRET.] a. A swivel ring on a dog’s collar by which a string can be attached.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1294. Aboute his Chaar ther wenten white Alauntz … with mosel faste ybounde Colored of gold, and tourettes [v.rr. turrettes, torettys, torettes, torrettes, turettes, torettz] fyled rounde.
1552. Huloet, Turret of a dogges collare, vertibulum.
b. Each of the two rings by which the leash is attached to the jesses of a hawk. See TERRET b.
[Cf. c. 1247. Emperor Fredk. II’s ‘De arte venandi cum avibus’ (1596), II. xl. (heading), De tornetto, qualiter factum sit, et ad quid sit utile.]
c. A ring or the like, often moving on a swivel, whereby an object can be attached to a chain.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 2. Thyn Astrelabie hath a ring to putten on the t[h]owmbe of thy ryht hand in takyng the heyhte of thynges…. This ring rennyth in A Maner turet, fast to the Moder of thyn Astrelabie.
1463. Bury Wills (Camden), 16. My lityll bagge of blakke ledyr with a cheyne and toret of siluyr.
1554. in Shropsh. Par. Doc. (1903), 55. For three cheynes and two turettes for the sensor viiid.
1900. N. & Q., 9th Ser. VI. 235/2. Turettes, tirrets, tirets, or tyrritts, swivels (of metal), a term also used in heraldry. In the trickings of arms in many early heraldic MSS. these are represented as a ring at the end of a chain.
1910. Lett. to Editor. The term ‘turret’ (pronounced ‘torret’) is still in use at Winterton, North Lincolnsh., though obsolescent, to indicate the bow and pendant of a watch case. The word is used principally by farm men. It is the local name for the swivel with which all plough traces are furnished to prevent them from becoming twisted.
d. In horse-harness, A ring on the harness of a horse through which a rein passes: see TERRET d.
1429–30. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 230. In iiij Renes, ij colors de coreo novis cum Turettes emptis.
1849. De Quincey, Eng. Mail Coach, Wks. 1863, IV. 306. Inspecting professionally the buckles, the straps, and the silvery turrets of his harness. [Note] The little devices through which the reins are made to pass…. This same word … I heard uniformly used by many scores of illustrious mail-coachmen.
