Tongue
noun
1.
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.
2.
Zoology. an analogous organ in invertebrate animals.
3.
the tongue of an animal, as an ox, beef, or sheep, used for food, often prepared by smoking or pickling.
4.
the human tongue as the organ of speech:
No tongue must ever tell the secret.
5.
the faculty or power of speech:
a sight no tongue can describe.
6.
speech or talk, especially mere glib or empty talk.
7.
manner or character of speech:
a flattering tongue.
8.
the language of a particular people, region, or nation:
the Hebrew tongue.
9.
a dialect.
10.
(in the Bible) a people or nation distinguished by its language.
11.
tongues, speech, often incomprehensible, typically uttered during moments of religious ecstasy.
Compare speaking in tongues, glossolalia.
12.
an object that resembles an animal’s tongue in shape, position, or function.
13.
a strip of leather or other material under the lacing or fastening of a shoe.
14.
a piece of metal suspended inside a bell that strikes against the side producing a sound; clapper.
15.
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.
16.
the pole extending from a carriage or other vehicle between the animals drawing it.
17.
a projecting strip along the center of the edge or end of a board, for fitting into a groove in another board.
18.
a narrow strip of land extending into a body of water; cape.
19.
a section of ice projecting outward from the submerged part of an iceberg.
20.
Machinery. a long, narrow projection on a machine.
21.
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.
22.
the pin of a buckle, brooch, etc.
verb (used with object), tongued, tonguing.
23.
to articulate (tones played on a clarinet, trumpet, etc.) by strokes of the tongue.
24.
Carpentry.
to cut a tongue on (a board).
to join or fit together by a tongue-and-groove joint.
25.
to touch with the tongue.
26.
to articulate or pronounce.
27.
Archaic.
to reproach or scold.
to speak or utter.
verb (used without object), tongued, tonguing.
28.
to tongue tones played on a clarinet, trumpet, etc.
29.
to talk, especially idly or foolishly; chatter; prate.
30.
to project like a tongue.
Idioms
31.
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.
32.
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.
33.
hold one’s tongue, to refrain from or cease speaking; keep silent.
34.
lose one’s tongue, to lose the power of speech, especially temporarily.
35.
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.
36.
slip of the tongue, a mistake in speaking, as an inadvertent remark.
37.
(with) tongue in cheek, ironically or mockingly; insincerely.
noun
1.
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
2.
an analogous organ in invertebrates
3.
the tongue of certain animals used as food
4.
a language, dialect, or idiom: the English tongue
5.
the ability to speak: to lose one’s tongue
6.
a manner of speaking: a glib tongue
7.
utterance or voice (esp in the phrase give tongue)
8.
(pl) See gift of tongues
9.
anything which resembles a tongue in shape or function: a tongue of flame, a tongue of the sea
10.
a promontory or spit of land
11.
a flap of leather on a shoe, either for decoration or under the laces or buckles to protect the instep
12.
(music) the reed of an oboe or similar instrument
13.
the clapper of a bell
14.
the harnessing pole of a horse-drawn vehicle
15.
a long and narrow projection on a machine or structural part that serves as a guide for assembly or as a securing device
16.
a projecting strip along an edge of a board that is made to fit a corresponding groove in the edge of another board
17.
hold one’s tongue, to keep quiet
18.
on the tip of one’s tongue, about to come to mind: her name was on the tip of his tongue
19.
with one’s tongue in one’s cheek, tongue in cheek, with insincere or ironical intent
verb tongues, tonguing, tongued
20.
to articulate (notes played on a wind instrument) by the process of tonguing
21.
(transitive) to lick, feel, or touch with the tongue
22.
(transitive) (carpentry) to provide (a board) with a tongue
23.
(intransitive) (of a piece of land) to project into a body of water
24.
(transitive) (obsolete) to reproach; scold
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.
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.
Read Also:
- Tongue-and-groove joint
[tuhng-uh n-groov] /ˈtʌŋ ənˈgruv/ noun, Carpentry. 1. a joint between two boards in which a raised area on the edge of one board fits into a corresponding groove in the edge of the other to produce a flush surface. noun 1. a long, narrow cut or indentation in a surface, as the cut in a […]
- Tongue-blade
noun 1. a broad, thin piece of wood used by doctors to hold down the patient’s tongue during an examination of the mouth and throat. tongue depressor n. A thin blade for pressing down the tongue during a medical examination of the mouth and throat; a spatula.
- Tongue-cover
noun 1. a loose-leaf binding having a flap of the cover concealing the binding posts.
- Tongue crib
tongue crib n. An appliance used to control visceral swallowing and tongue thrusting in infants and to encourage somatic tongue posture and function.
- Tongued
noun 1. 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. 2. Zoology. an analogous organ in invertebrate animals. 3. the tongue of an animal, as an ox, beef, or sheep, used for food, often prepared by smoking […]