n. [ Chinese t'ang, lit., hall. ] In China, an association, secret society, or organization of any kind; in the United States, usually, a secret association of Chinese such as that of the highbinders; in the U. S. the tongs have been frequently associated with criminal activity and gang warfare. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. (Med.) A drug useful in neuralgia, derived from a Fijian plant supposed to be of the aroid genus Epipremnum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hind. tāngā, Skr. tama&ndot_;gaka. ] A kind of light two-wheeled vehicle, usually for four persons, drawn by ponies or bullocks. [ India ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ }, n. Tongue. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A kind of boat or junk used in the seas of the Malay Archipelago. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The mangrove; -- so called in the Pacific Islands. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ OE. tonge, tange, AS. tange; akin to D. tang, G. zanga, OHG. zanga, Don. tang, Sw. tång, Icel. töng, Gr. da`knein to bite, Skr. dañiç, daç. √59. Cf. Tang a strong taste, anything projecting. ] An instrument, usually of metal, consisting of two parts, or long shafts, jointed together at or near one end, or united by an elastic bow, used for handling things, especially hot coals or metals; -- often called a pair of tongs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. tunge, tonge, AS. tunge; akin to OFries. tunge, D. tong, OS. tunga, G. zunge, OHG. zunga, Icel. & Sw. tunga, Dan tunge, Goth. tuggō, OL. dingua, L. lingua. √243 Cf.Language, Lingo. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Anat.) an organ situated in the floor of the mouth of most vertebrates and connected with the hyoid arch. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The tongue is usually muscular, mobile, and free at one extremity, and in man other mammals is the principal organ of taste, aids in the prehension of food, in swallowing, and in modifying the voice as in speech. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make his English sweet upon his tongue. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The power of articulate utterance; speech. [ 1913 Webster ]

Parrots imitating human tongue. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Discourse; fluency of speech or expression. [ 1913 Webster ]

Much tongue and much judgment seldom go together. L. Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Honorable discourse; eulogy. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

She was born noble; let that title find her a private grave, but neither tongue nor honor. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A language; the whole sum of words used by a particular nation; as, the English tongue. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose tongue thou shalt not understand. Deut. xxviii. 49. [ 1913 Webster ]

To speak all tongues. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Speech; words or declarations only; -- opposed to thoughts or actions. [ 1913 Webster ]

My little children, let us love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John iii. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A people having a distinct language. [ 1913 Webster ]

A will gather all nations and tongues. Isa. lxvi. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Zool.) (a) The lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk. (b) The proboscis of a moth or a butterfly. (c) The lingua of an insect. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Zool.) Any small sole. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. That which is considered as resembing an animal's tongue, in position or form. Specifically: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

(a) A projection, or slender appendage or fixture; as, the tongue of a buckle, or of a balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

(b) A projection on the side, as of a board, which fits into a groove. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) A point, or long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or a lake. [ 1913 Webster ]

(d) The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked. [ 1913 Webster ]

(e) The clapper of a bell. [ 1913 Webster ]

(f) (Naut.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

(g) (Mus.) Same as Reed, n., 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

To hold the tongue, to be silent. --
Tongue bone (Anat.), the hyoid bone. --
Tongue grafting. See under Grafting. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Language; speech; expression. See Language. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tongued p. pr. & vb. n. Tonguing. ] 1. To speak; to utter. “Such stuff as madmen tongue.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To chide; to scold. [ 1913 Webster ]

How might she tongue me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) To modulate or modify with the tongue, as notes, in playing the flute and some other wind instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To join means of a tongue and grove; as, to tongue boards together. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To talk; to prate. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) To use the tongue in forming the notes, as in playing the flute and some other wind instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]