plural
tongues
plural
tongues
Britannica Dictionary definition of TONGUE
1
a
[count]
:
the soft, movable part in the mouth that is used for tasting and eating food and in human beings for speaking
-
The cow ran its tongue over its lips.
-
The taste of the spice was still on her tongue.
-
The little girl stuck her tongue out at me.
-
My mom shook her head and clicked her tongue [=made a noise with her tongue] in disapproval.
—
see picture at mouth
b
[count, noncount]
:
the tongue of an animal (such as an ox or sheep) that is eaten as food
2
[count]
:
language
-
He spoke in a foreign tongue.
-
English is my native tongue.
-
They speak the same tongue.
—
see also mother tongue
3
[count]
:
a particular way or quality of speaking
-
His sharp/quick tongue is going to get him into trouble someday.
-
Although she was angry, she kept a civil tongue. [=she was polite]
-
Watch your tongue, young man! [=don't say rude or offensive things]
—
see also tongued
4
[count]
:
something that is shaped like a tongue
—
+ of
5
[count]
:
a long flap that is under the laces or buckles of a shoe
—
see picture at shoe
6
[count]
:
a long, raised part at the end of a board that extends out and fits into a long cut (called a groove) in another board
—
see also tongue-and-groove
a slip of the tongue
—
see 2slip
bite your tongue
—
see 1bite
Cat got your tongue?
—
see cat
get your tongue around
informal
◊ If you cannot get your tongue around a word or phrase, you have difficulty saying it.
hold your tongue
—
see 1hold
loosen someone's tongue
—
see loosen
on the tip of your tongue
—
see 3tip
roll/trip off the tongue
:
to be easy to say or pronounce
speak in tongues
◊ Someone who is speaking in tongues is saying strange words that no one can understand, especially as part of a religious experience.
speak/talk with (a) forked tongue
—
see forked
tongues (are) wagging
◊ If something sets/gets tongues wagging or if tongues are wagging, people are talking a lot about something.
with (your) tongue in (your) cheek
2
tongue
/ˈtʌŋ/
verb
tongues;
tongued;
tonguing
tongues;
tongued;
tonguing
Britannica Dictionary definition of TONGUE
1
:
to produce separate notes when you are blowing air through a musical instrument (such as a trumpet) by using your tongue to briefly stop the flow of air
[+ object]
[no object]
2
[+ object]
:
to touch or lick something with your tongue