tongue
IPA: tˈʌŋ
noun
- The flexible muscular organ in the mouth that is used to move food around, for tasting and that is moved into various positions to modify the flow of air from the lungs in order to produce different sounds in speech.
- (countable, uncountable) This organ, as taken from animals used for food (especially cows).
- Any similar organ, such as the lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk; the proboscis of a moth or butterfly; or the lingua of an insect.
- (metonymically) A language.
- (obsolete) Speakers of a language, collectively.
- (obsolete) Voice (the distinctive sound of a person's speech); accent (distinctive manner of pronouncing a language).
- Manner of speaking, often habitually.
- (metonymically) A person speaking in a specified manner (most often plural).
- The power of articulate utterance; speech generally.
- (obsolete) Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
- (obsolete, uncountable) Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
- (obsolete) Honourable discourse; eulogy.
- (religion, often in the plural) Glossolalia.
- In a shoe, the flap of material that goes between the laces and the foot (so called because it resembles a tongue in the mouth).
- Any large or long physical protrusion on an automotive or machine part or any other part that fits into a long groove on another part.
- A projection, or slender appendage or fixture.
- A long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or lake.
- The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
- The clapper of a bell.
- (figuratively) An individual point of flame from a fire.
- A small sole (type of fish).
- (nautical) A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also, the upper main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
- (music) A reed.
- (geology) A division of formation; A layer or member of a formation that pinches out in one direction.
- A village by the Kyle of Tongue in Sutherland, Highland council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NC5956).
- A surname.
verb
- (music, transitive, intransitive) On a wind instrument, to articulate a note by starting the air with a tap of the tongue, as though by speaking a 'd' or 't' sound (alveolar plosive).
- (slang) To manipulate with the tongue, as in kissing or oral sex.
- To protrude in relatively long, narrow sections.
- To join by means of a tongue and groove.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To talk; to prate.
- (transitive, obsolete) To speak; to utter.
- (transitive, obsolete) To chide; to scold.
Advertisement
Examples of "tongue" in Sentences
- Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
- So you may perceive, I _have the use of my tongue_ & I tell her it is a good thing to have the use of my tongue.
- Wherein the due government of the tongue consists, or when it may be said of any one in a moral and religious sense that he _bridleth his tongue_, I come now to consider.
- The dialect of the Grödner Thal, called the Ladin tongue, is supposed to be directly derived from the original Latin at some date contemporary with the period of Roman rule.
- Often he followed these comic statements with what I call a tongue eraser: an action where the tongue visibly moves from one side of the mouth, signifying that this person does not like what he is saying.
- P.ace the N. P., _long cord_, upon the lower cervical vertebræ, and then treat, _first_, with the _tongue_ instrument, P. P., in the mouth, as far back on the tongue as can be borne, three to five minutes.
- On the whole, no man ought, for any cause, to speak lies, or have anything to do with _lies; _ but either hold his tongue, or speak a bit of the truth: that is the meaning of a _tongue, _ people used to know!
- How he excites himself to the duty of praise (v. 8): Awake up my glory, that is, my tongue (our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when it is employed in praising God), or my soul, that must be first awakened; dull and sleepy devotions will never be acceptable to
- It is produced at the middle or central part of the mouth, by forcing a slight, closely-squeezed current of Sounding Breath, through a small, smooth channel or opening made by forming _a gutter or scoop of the flattened point of the tongue_; while, at the same time, the tongue is applied at the edges to the teeth and gums.
- He looked upon it that God girded him with gladness to the end that he might be the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam.xxiii. 1), that his glory might sing praise to God, that is, his tongue (for our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when it is employed in praising God) or his soul, for that is our glory above the beasts, that must be employed in blessing the
Advertisement
Advertisement