1the fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and (in humans) articulating speech.
the equivalent organ in other vertebrates, sometimes used (in snakes) as a scent organ or (in chameleons) for catching food.
an analogous organ in insects, formed from some of the mouthparts and used in feeding.
[mass noun] the tongue of an ox or lamb as food:a galantine of tongue
2 [in singular] used in reference to a person’s style or manner of speaking:he was a redoubtable debater with a caustic tongue
[count noun] a particular language:the girls were singing in their native tongue
3a thing resembling or likened to a tongue, in particular:
a long, low promontory of land.
a jet of flame:a tongue of flame flashed from the gun
a strip of leather or fabric under the laces in a shoe, attached only at the front end.
the free-swinging metal piece inside a bell which is made to strike the bell to produce the sound.
the pin of a buckle.
a projecting strip on a wooden board fitting into a groove on another.
the vibrating reed of a musical instrument or organ pipe.
ზმნა
Universal
1 Music sound (a note) distinctly on a wind instrument by interrupting the air flow with the tongue: (as noun tonguing)Eugene has worked out the correct tonguing
2lick or caress with the tongue:the other horse tongued every part of the colt’s mane
find (or lose) one's tongue
be able (or unable) to express oneself after a shock:she found her tongue and shakily voiced her only fearlost your tongue?
get one's tongue round
pronounce (words):she found it very difficult to get her tongue round the unfamiliar words
the gift of tongues
the power of speaking in unknown languages, regarded as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
give tongue
(of hounds) bark, especially on finding a scent:the dogs spotted him and gave tongue
express one’s feelings or opinions freely:her mother stood behind her, giving tongue: ‘He’s got you on the end of a string, that fellow!’
keep a civil tongue in one's head
speak politely.
(with) tongue in cheek
speaking or writing in an ironic or insincere way:one suspects that he is writing with tongue in cheekhis tongue is still tucked firmly in his cheek
someone's tongue is hanging out
someone is very eager for something:I’m going to have a whisky—my tongue’s hanging out
