Definitions for tongue
tʌŋtongue

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tongue, lingua, glossa, clappernoun

   a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

2. natural language, tonguenoun

   a human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer language

3. tongue, knifenoun

   any long thin projection that is transient

   "tongues of flame licked at the walls"; "rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark"

4. tonguenoun

   a manner of speaking

   "he spoke with a thick tongue"; "she has a glib tongue"

5. spit, tonguenoun

   a narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea

6. tonguenoun

   the tongue of certain animals used as meat

7. tonguenoun

   the flap of material under the laces of a shoe or boot

8. clapper, tongueverb

   metal striker that hangs inside a bell and makes a sound by hitting the side

9. tongueverb

   articulate by tonguing, as when playing wind instruments

10. tongueverb

    lick or explore with the tongue

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tonguenoun

   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.

2. tonguenoun

   A language.

   He was speaking in his native tongue.

3. tonguenoun

   Glossolalia.

4. tonguenoun

   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.

5. tonguenoun

   Any large or long physical protrusion on an automotive, a machine part or any other part that fits into a long groove on another part.

6. tonguenoun

   An individual point of flame from a fire.

7. tongueverb

   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).

8. tongueverb

   to kiss involving the touching of both tongues, and/or licking.

9. tongueverb

   To manipulate with the tongue.

   Playing wind instruments involves tonguing on the reed or mouthpiece.

10. Etymology: From tonge, tunge, tung, from tunge, from tungōn (compare Dutch tong, German Zunge, Swedish tunga), from dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s (compare Irish teanga, Latin lingua, Tocharian A/B känt/kantwo, Lithuanian liežùvis, Polish język 'language, tongue', Armenian լեզու, Sanskrit जिह्वा).

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tonguenoun

   Etymology: tung , Saxon; tonghe, Dutch.

   1. The instrument of speech in human beings.

   My conscience hath a thousand several tongue,
   And ev’ry tongue brings in a sev’ral tale,
   And ev’ry tale condemns me for a villain. William Shakespeare.

   Who with the tongue of angels can relate. John Milton.

   The terror of thy power or potent tongue. John Milton.

   They are tongue-valiant, and as bold as Hercules where there’s no danger. Roger L'Estrange, Fables.

   My ears still ring with noise, I’m vext to death,
   Tongue kill’d, and have not yet recover’d breath. Dryden.

   Tongue-valiant hero, vaunter of thy might,
   In threats the foremost; but the lag in fight. Dryden.

   There have been female Pythagoreans, notwithstanding that philosophy consisted in keeping a secret, and the disciple was to hold her tongue five years together. Joseph Addison, Guard.

   I should make but a poor pretence to true learning, if I had not clear ideas under the words my tongue could pronounce. Isaac Watts, Improvement of the Mind, p. i.

   2. The organ by which animals lick.

   Hiss for hiss returned with forked tongue
   To forked tongue. John Milton.

   3. Speech; fluency of words.

   Tongue-doughty giant, how dost thou prove? John Milton.

   Much tongue and much judgment seldom go together; for talking and thinking are too quite differing faculties. Roger L'Estrange.

   Parrots, imitating human tongue,
   And singing-birds in silver cages hung. Dryden.

   First in the council-hall to steer the state,
   And ever foremost in a tongue debate. John Dryden, Æn.

   Though they have those sounds ready at their tongue’s end, yet there are no determined ideas. John Locke.

   4. Speech, as well or ill used.

   Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee: but, while thou liv’st, keep a good tongue in thy head. William Shakespeare.

   On evil days though fallen and evil tongues. John Milton.

   5. A language.

   The Lord shall bring a nation against thee, whose tongue thou shalt not understand. Deut. xxvii. 49.

   With wond’rous gifts endu’d,
   To speak all tongues and do all miracles. John Milton.

   An acquaintance with the various tongues is nothing but a relief against the mischiefs which the building of Babel introduced. Isaac Watts.

   6. Speech as opposed to thoughts.

   Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John iii. 18.

   7. A nation distinguished by their language. A scriptural term.

   The Lord shall destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea. Isa.

   8. A small point: as, the tongue of a balance.9. To hold the Tongue. To be silent.

   ’Tis seldom seen that senators so young
   Know when to speak, and when to hold their tongue. Dryd.

   Whilst I live I must not hold my tongue,
   And languish out old age in his displeasure. Addison.

2. To Tongueverb

   To chide; to scold.

   Etymology: from the noun.

   But that her tender shame
   Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
   How might she tongue me. William Shakespeare, Meas. for Measure.

3. To Tongueverb

   To talk; to prate.

   ’Tis still a dream; or else such stuff, as madmen
   Tongue, and brain not. William Shakespeare, Cymbeline.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tonguenoun

   an organ situated in the floor of the mouth of most vertebrates and connected with the hyoid arch

2. Tonguenoun

   the power of articulate utterance; speech

3. Tonguenoun

   discourse; fluency of speech or expression

4. Tonguenoun

   honorable discourse; eulogy

5. Tonguenoun

   a language; the whole sum of words used by a particular nation; as, the English tongue

6. Tonguenoun

   speech; words or declarations only; -- opposed to thoughts or actions

7. Tonguenoun

   a people having a distinct language

8. Tonguenoun

   the lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk

9. Tonguenoun

   the proboscis of a moth or a butterfly

10. Tonguenoun

    the lingua of an insect

11. Tonguenoun

    any small sole

12. Tonguenoun

    that which is considered as resembing an animal's tongue, in position or form

13. Tonguenoun

    a projection, or slender appendage or fixture; as, the tongue of a buckle, or of a balance

14. Tonguenoun

    a projection on the side, as of a board, which fits into a groove

15. Tonguenoun

    a point, or long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or a lake

16. Tonguenoun

    the pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked

17. Tonguenoun

    the clapper of a bell

18. Tonguenoun

    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

19. Tonguenoun

    same as Reed, n., 5

20. Tongueverb

    to speak; to utter

21. Tongueverb

    to chide; to scold

22. Tongueverb

    to modulate or modify with the tongue, as notes, in playing the flute and some other wind instruments

23. Tongueverb

    to join means of a tongue and grove; as, to tongue boards together

24. Tongueverb

    to talk; to prate

25. Tongueverb

    to use the tongue in forming the notes, as in playing the flute and some other wind instruments

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tongue

   The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste, as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels. In humans a secondary function of the tongue is phonetic articulation. The tongue also serves as a natural means of cleaning one's teeth. The ability to perceive different tastes is not localised in different parts of the tongue, as is widely believed. This error arose because of misinterpretation of some 19th-century research.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tongue

   tung, n. the fleshy organ in the mouth, used in tasting, swallowing, and speech: power of speech: manner of speaking: speech: discourse: a language: anything like a tongue in shape: the catch of a buckle: the pointer of a balance: a point of land.—adjs. Tongued, having a tongue.; Tongue′less, having no tongue.—n. Tongue′let, a little tongue.—p.adj. Tongue′-shaped, shaped like a tongue: (bot.) linear and fleshy and blunt at the point, as a leaf.—n. Tongue′ster, a babbler.—adjs. Tongue′-tied, -tacked, having an impediment, as if the tongue were tied: unable to speak freely.—n. Tongue′-work, babble, chatter.—Hold one's tongue (see Hold). [A.S. tunge; Ice. tunga, Ger. zunge, the tongue; L. lingua (old form dingua).]

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. TONGUE

   An unruly member that is frequently put out, yet an artist who's a hard worker at the palate and a great wag among women.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tongue

   [Anglo-Saxon tunga]. The long tapered end of one piece of timber made to fay into a scarph at the end of another piece, to gain length. Also, a low salient point of land. Also, a dangerous mass of ice projecting under water from an iceberg or floe, nearly horizontally; it was on one of these shelves that the Guardian frigate struck.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tongue

   The pole of an ox-cart (local).

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tongue

   A type of organ.

   Every human being and animal has a tongue.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 18, 2020  

Entomology(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tongue

   an indefinite term, applied usually to the coiled mouth structure of Lepidoptera; the lapping organ of flies; the ligula of bees and wasps and, sometimes also to the hypopharynx of other insects.

Matched Categories

1. • Cape
   • Flap
   • Language
   • Lick
   • Manner Of Speaking
   • Music
   • Play
   • Projection
   • Variety Meat

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'tongue' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3897

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'tongue' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4325

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'tongue' in Nouns Frequency: #1451

Anagrams for tongue »

1. tounge

How to pronounce tongue?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say tongue in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of tongue in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of tongue in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of tongue in a Sentence

1. Kenzie Pyne:

   I figured maybe she got a bug in her mouth so I grabbed a wet cloth to wipe the inside of her mouth, but it wasn’t wiping off and the black remained. finally the doctor came in and as soon as I mentioned the caterpillar to him, he said that is exactly what it is and all the hairs are stuck to her tongue and the tentacles are fused to her cheek.

2. Simone Weil:

   The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out and who occasionally forgets the fact. When they move their lips no ear perceives any sound. And they themselves soon sink into impotence in the use of language, because of the certainty of not being heard.

3. Heather Lydia Thornhill:

   If I am lucky then you are my rabbit. If you are lucky then I am your clover. If I eat meat and you eat plants who's kiss lasts longer on the tongue? If you eat meat and I eat plants who's love lasts longer?

4. Vikrant Parsai:

   Your tongue is more foolish than you but your ears are wiser than you.

5. Irene Zoppi:

   It’s the tongue that does most of the work holding onto the nipple and the breast.

Popularity rank by frequency of use