tongue

[ tuhng ]

/ tʌŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tongue ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Anatomy. the usually movable organ in the floor of the mouth in humans and most vertebrates, functioning in eating, in tasting, and, in humans, in speaking.

Zoology. an analogous organ in invertebrate animals.

the tongue of an animal, as an ox, beef, or sheep, used for food, often prepared by smoking or pickling.

the human tongue as the organ of speech: No tongue must ever tell the secret.

the faculty or power of speech: a sight no tongue can describe.

speech or talk, especially mere glib or empty talk.

manner or character of speech: a flattering tongue.

the language of a particular people, region, or nation: the Hebrew tongue.

a dialect.

(in the Bible) a people or nation distinguished by its language.

tongues, speech, often incomprehensible, typically uttered during moments of religious ecstasy. Compare speaking in tongues, glossolalia.

an object that resembles an animal's tongue in shape, position, or function.

a strip of leather or other material under the lacing or fastening of a shoe.

a piece of metal suspended inside a bell that strikes against the side producing a sound; clapper.

a vibrating reed or similar structure in a musical instrument, as in a clarinet, or in part of a musical instrument, as in an organ reed pipe.

the pole extending from a carriage or other vehicle between the animals drawing it.

a projecting strip along the center of the edge or end of a board, for fitting into a groove in another board.

a narrow strip of land extending into a body of water; cape.

a section of ice projecting outward from the submerged part of an iceberg.

Machinery. a long, narrow projection on a machine.

that part of a railroad switch that is shifted to direct the wheels of a locomotive or car to one or the other track of a railroad.

the pin of a buckle, brooch, etc.

verb (used with object), tongued, tongu·ing.

to articulate (tones played on a clarinet, trumpet, etc.) by strokes of the tongue.

Carpentry.

to cut a tongue on (a board).
to join or fit together by a tongue-and-groove joint.

to touch with the tongue.

to articulate or pronounce.

Archaic.

to reproach or scold.
to speak or utter.

verb (used without object), tongued, tongu·ing.

to tongue tones played on a clarinet, trumpet, etc.

to talk, especially idly or foolishly; chatter; prate.

to project like a tongue.

Idioms for tongue

find one's tongue, to regain one's powers of speech; recover one's poise: She wanted to say something, but couldn't find her tongue.

give tongue,

Fox Hunting. (of a hound) to bay while following a scent.
to utter one's thoughts; speak: He wouldn't give tongue to his suspicions.

hold one's tongue, to refrain from or cease speaking; keep silent.

lose one's tongue, to lose the power of speech, especially temporarily.

on the tip of one's/the tongue,

on the verge of being uttered.
unable to be recalled; barely escaping one's memory: The answer was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't think of it.

slip of the tongue, a mistake in speaking, as an inadvertent remark.

(with) tongue in cheek, ironically or mockingly; insincerely.

Origin of tongue

before 900; (noun) Middle English tunge, Old English; cognate with Dutch tong, German Zunge, Old Norse tunga, Gothic tuggo; akin to Latin lingua (OL dingua); (v.) Middle English tungen to scold, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM tongue

tongue·less, adjective tongue·like, adjective out·tongue, verb (used with object), out·tongued, out·tongu·ing. un·tongued, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tongue

thong tong tongue

Words nearby tongue

tonghua, tongking, tongman, tongs, tongshan, tongue, tongue cover, tongue crib, tongue depressor, tongue graft, tongue hangs out, one's

British Dictionary definitions for hold one's tongue

tongue

/ (tʌŋ) /

noun

a movable mass of muscular tissue attached to the floor of the mouth in most vertebrates. It is the organ of taste and aids the mastication and swallowing of food. In man it plays an important part in the articulation of speech sounds Related adjectives: glottic, lingual

an analogous organ in invertebrates

the tongue of certain animals used as food

a language, dialect, or idiom the English tongue

the ability to speak to lose one's tongue

a manner of speaking a glib tongue

utterance or voice (esp in the phrase give tongue)

(plural) See gift of tongues

anything which resembles a tongue in shape or function a tongue of flame; a tongue of the sea

a promontory or spit of land

a flap of leather on a shoe, either for decoration or under the laces or buckles to protect the instep

music the reed of an oboe or similar instrument

the clapper of a bell

the harnessing pole of a horse-drawn vehicle

a long and narrow projection on a machine or structural part that serves as a guide for assembly or as a securing device

a projecting strip along an edge of a board that is made to fit a corresponding groove in the edge of another board

hold one's tongue to keep quiet

on the tip of one's tongue about to come to mind her name was on the tip of his tongue

with one's tongue in one's cheek or tongue in cheek with insincere or ironical intent

verb tongues, tonguing or tongued

to articulate (notes played on a wind instrument) by the process of tonguing

(tr) to lick, feel, or touch with the tongue

(tr) carpentry to provide (a board) with a tongue

(intr) (of a piece of land) to project into a body of water

(tr) obsolete to reproach; scold

Derived forms of tongue

tongueless, adjective tonguelike, adjective

Word Origin for tongue

Old English tunge; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse tunga, Old High German zunga, Latin lingua

Medical definitions for hold one's tongue

tongue

[ tŭng ]

n.

A mobile mass of muscular tissue that is covered with mucous membrane, occupies much of the cavity of the mouth, forms part of its floor, bears the organ of taste, and assists in chewing, swallowing, and speech.

Scientific definitions for hold one's tongue

tongue

[ tŭng ]

A muscular organ in most vertebrates that is usually attached to the bottom of the mouth. In snakes, the tongue is used as a sense organ. In frogs, the tongue is chiefly used to capture prey. In mammals, the tongue is the main organ of taste and is an important organ of digestion. In humans, the tongue is used to produce speech.

A similar organ in certain invertebrate animals.

Idioms and Phrases with hold one's tongue (1 of 2)

hold one's tongue

Also, hold or keep one's peace. Keep quiet, remain silent, as in If you don't hold your tongue you'll have to go outside, or Jenny kept her peace about the wedding. The idiom with tongue uses hold in the sense of “restrain,” while the others use hold and keep in the sense of “preserve.” Chaucer used the first idiom in The Tale of Melibus (c. 1387): “Thee is better hold thy tongue still, than for to speak.” The variant appears in the traditional wedding service, telling anyone who knows that a marriage should not take place to “speak now or forever hold your peace.” [First half of 1300s] Also see keep quiet.

Idioms and Phrases with hold one's tongue (2 of 2)

tongue

In addition to the idioms beginning with tongue

tongue hangs out, one's
tongue in cheek, with
tongues wag

also see:

bite one's tongue
cat got someone's tongue
hold one's tongue
keep a civil tongue
on the tip of one's tongue
slip of the lip (tongue)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tongue

noun

verb (used with object), tongued, tongu·ing.

verb (used without object), tongued, tongu·ing.

Idioms for tongue

Origin of tongue

OTHER WORDS FROM tongue

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tongue

Words nearby tongue

British Dictionary definitions for hold one's tongue

noun

verb tongues, tonguing or tongued

Derived forms of tongue

Word Origin for tongue

Medical definitions for hold one's tongue

n.

Scientific definitions for hold one's tongue

Idioms and Phrases with hold one's tongue (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with hold one's tongue (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tongue

noun

verb (used with object), tongued, tongu·ing.

verb (used without object), tongued, tongu·ing.

Idioms for tongue

Origin of tongue

OTHER WORDS FROM tongue

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tongue

Words nearby tongue

Words related to hold one's tongue

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for hold one's tongue

noun

verb tongues, tonguing or tongued

Derived forms of tongue

Word Origin for tongue

Medical definitions for hold one's tongue

n.

Scientific definitions for hold one's tongue

Idioms and Phrases with hold one's tongue (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with hold one's tongue (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for hold one's tongue