Your tongue is the soft movable part inside your mouth which you use for tasting, eating, and speaking.
I walked over to the mirror and stuck my tongue out.
She ran her tongue around her lips.
2. countable noun
You can use tongue to refer to the kind of things that a person says.
...her sharp wit and quick tongue.
She had a nasty tongue, but I liked her.
Synonyms: utterance, voice, speech, articulation More Synonyms of tongue
3. countable noun
A tongue is a language.
[literary]
The French feel passionately about their native tongue.
Synonyms: language, speech, vernacular, talk More Synonyms of tongue
4. See also mother tongue
5. variable noun
Tongue is the cooked tongue of an ox or sheep. It is usually eaten cold.
6. countable noun
The tongue of a shoe or boot is the piece of leather which is underneath the laces.
7. countable noun
A tongue of something such as fire or land is a long thin piece of it.
[literary]
A yellow tongue of flame shot upwards. [+ of]
...a silver, frozen tongue of water.
8.
See tongue in cheek
9.
See to hold your tongue
10.
See to get your tongue around something
11.
See slip of the tongue
12. to bite your tongue
tongue in British English
(tʌŋ)
noun
1.
a movable mass of muscular tissue attached to the floor of the mouth in most vertebrates. It is the organ of taste and aids the mastication and swallowing of food. In humans it plays an important part in the articulation of speech sounds
▶ Related adjectives: glottic, lingual
2.
an analogous organ in invertebrates
3.
the tongue of certain animals used as food
4.
a language, dialect, or idiom
the English tongue
5.
the ability to speak
to lose one's tongue
6.
a manner of speaking
a glib tongue
7.
utterance or voice (esp in the phrase give tongue)
8. (plural) gift of tongues
9.
anything which resembles a tongue in shape or function
a tongue of flame
a tongue of the sea
10.
a promontory or spit of land
11.
a flap of leather on a shoe, either for decoration or under the laces or buckles to protect the instep
12. music
the reed of an oboe or similar instrument
13.
the clapper of a bell
14.
the harnessing pole of a horse-drawn vehicle
15.
a long and narrow projection on a machine or structural part that serves as a guide for assembly or as a securing device
16.
a projecting strip along an edge of a board that is made to fit a corresponding groove in the edge of another board
17. hold one's tongue
18. on the tip of one's tongue
19. with one's tongue in one's cheek
verbWord forms: tongues, tonguing or tongued
20.
to articulate (notes played on a wind instrument) by the process of tonguing
21. (transitive)
to lick, feel, or touch with the tongue
22. (transitive) carpentry
to provide (a board) with a tongue
23. (intransitive)
(of a piece of land) to project into a body of water
24. (transitive) obsolete
to reproach; scold
Derived forms
tongueless (ˈtongueless)
adjective
tonguelike (ˈtongueˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English tunge; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse tunga, Old High German zunga, Latin lingua
tongue in American English
(tʌŋ)
noun
1.
the movable muscular structure attached to the floor of the mouth in most vertebrates:it is an important organ in the ingestion of food, the perception of taste, and, in humans, the articulation of speech sounds
2.
an analogous part in invertebrate animals
; specif.,
a.
a radula
b.
the proboscis in certain insects, as bees
3.
an animal's tongue used as food
4.
a.
the human tongue as the organ of speech
b.
ideas expressed by speaking; talk; speech
c.
the act or power of speaking
d.
a manner or style of speaking, with reference to tone, diction, etc.
a glib tongue
5.
a.
a language or dialect
b.
in the Bible, a nation or people speaking a distinct language: Rev. 7:9
6. [pl.] see glossolalia
7.
the cry of a hunting dog, etc. in sight of game
chiefly in give tongue, to start barking
8.
something resembling a tongue in shape, position, movement, or use
; specif.,
a.
the flap under the laces or strap of a shoe
b.
the clapper of a bell
c.
the pin of a buckle, etc.
d.
the pole of a wagon, etc.
e.
the projecting tenon of a tongue-and-groove joint
f.
in machines, a projecting flange, rib, etc.
g.
a thin strip of flexible material, as cane, that produces a musical sound when vibrated, as in a wind instrument
h.
a narrow strip of land, ice, etc. extending into a body of water, an intrusion, etc.
i.
a narrow inlet of water
j.
a long, narrow flame
k.
the pointer of a scale, etc.
verb transitiveWord forms: tongued or ˈtonguing
9. Archaic
a.
to reproach or scold
b.
to speak or say
10.
to touch, lick, etc. with the tongue
11.
a.
to cut a tongue (sense 8) tongue (sense 8e) on or in
b.
to join by means of a tongue-and-groove joint
12. Music
to play by tonguing
see also tonguing
verb intransitive
13. Rare
to talk or talk much
14.
to project like a tongue
15. Music
to use tonguing
see also tonguing
Idioms:
find one's tongue
hold one's tongue
on everyone's tongue
on the tip of someone's tongue
speak in tongues
(with) tongue in cheek
Word origin
ME tunge < OE, akin to Ger zunge < IE base *dṇĝhū-, tongue > L lingua (OL dingua)
More idioms containing
tongue
a slip of the tongue
something is on the tip of your tongue
something was on the tip of your tongue
be unable to get your tongue round something
bite your tongue
find your tongue
give someone the rough side of your tongue
speak with forked tongue
tongue in cheek
COBUILD Collocations
tongue
swollen tongue
Examples of 'tongue' in a sentence
tongue
They'll be speaking in tongues.
The Sun (2016)
Polish is my mother tongue.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It is tongue in cheek, making light of his reputation for playing direct, agricultural football.
The Sun (2016)
And native speakers do less well in oral exams than those whose mother tongue is English, it is claimed.
The Sun (2016)
We can use our tongues to fan the flames of discord or to enhance good relations.
Christianity Today (2000)
Then he rolled his tongue around inside his lips and sniffed.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Was that a little bit tongue in cheek?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This action thriller keeps one tongue firmly in its cheek.
The Sun (2009)
The biblical ideas that he released into the common tongue fired the reformation.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They also replaced part of my tongue with muscle from my thigh.
The Sun (2016)
We should not get too excited about this slip of the tongue.
The Sun (2015)
Old colleagues say his sharp tongue is a perpetual hazard.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And then come along and have some of this cold tongue.
Kenneth Grahame The Wind in the Willows (1908)
It is all done with tongue firmly in cheek.
The Sun (2009)
How could he do it without a grasp of their native tongue?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Treatment for stomach ulcers and use of a tongue tie have made all the difference.
The Sun (2015)
The cut scenes are done with usual cheeky humour and tell the story with tongue firmly in cheek.
The Sun (2010)
That slip of the tongue has given the bigger game away as to what our political leaders really think of us.
The Sun (2012)
She isn't the only wannabe to feel his sharp tongue.
The Sun (2009)
In the jaws of the sea and sky, a tongue of flame.
Oxenhorn, Harvey Tuning the Rig: A Journey to the Arctic (1990)
The Power reckons his loose tongue has given away too many secrets to his rivals.
The Sun (2008)
Anyone who doesn't fit your exacting social standards will feel your acid tongue.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It does not seek to elbow out mother tongues, but to coexist and continue to evolve alongside other languages.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Growing up, my mother would boil an ox tongue with carrots, celery and onion.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
tongue
British English: tongue /tʌŋ/ NOUN
Your tongue is the soft movable part inside your mouth that you use for tasting, licking, and speaking.
I walked over to the mirror and stuck my tongue out.
American English: tongue
Arabic: لِسَان
Brazilian Portuguese: língua
Chinese: 舌头
Croatian: jezik
Czech: jazyk část těla
Danish: tunge
Dutch: tong lichaamsdeel
European Spanish: lengua
Finnish: kieli elin
French: langue partie du corps
German: Zunge
Greek: γλώσσα όργανο
Italian: lingua
Japanese: 舌
Korean: 혀
Norwegian: tunge
Polish: język anatomia
European Portuguese: língua
Romanian: limbă
Russian: язык орган в полости рта
Latin American Spanish: lengua
Swedish: tunga kroppsdel
Thai: ลิ้น
Turkish: dil anatomi
Ukrainian: язик
Vietnamese: cái lưỡi
All related terms of 'tongue'
bull tongue
a heavy plough used in growing cotton , having an almost vertical mouldboard
ice tongue
a section of ice projecting from the base of a glacier
tongue-lash
to reprimand severely; scold
tongue-tie
a congenital condition in which the tongue has restricted mobility as the result of an abnormally short frenulum
tongue-tied
If someone is tongue-tied , they are unable to say anything because they feel shy or nervous .
tongue worm
a parasitic worm , Linguatula serrata , found in the nose of dogs , so called because of the shape of the worm
dog's-tongue
any boraginaceous weedy plant of the genus Cynoglossum, esp the Eurasian C. officinale, which has small reddish-purple flowers and spiny fruits
double-tongue
to play ( fast staccato passages) on a wind instrument by rapid obstruction and uncovering of the air passage through the lips with the tongue
forked tongue
lying or deceitful talk
hart's-tongue
an evergreen Eurasian fern , Asplenium scolopendrium , with narrow undivided fronds bearing rows of sori : family Polypodiaceae
lamb's tongue
a perennial herb , Stachys lanata, planted for its foliage , which is covered with white woolly down; the purplish or striped flowers are small
mother tongue
Your mother tongue is the language that you learn from your parents when you are a baby .
native tongue
the native language of someone; the language of the country that someone is born in or native to
sharp tongue
If you say that someone has a sharp tongue , you are critical of the fact that they say things which are unkind though often clever.
silver tongue
the characteristic of being skilful at persuading people to believe what they say or to do what they want them to do
single-tongue
to play (any nonlegato passage ) on a wind instrument by obstructing and uncovering the air passage through the lips with the tongue
triple-tongue
to play (very quick staccato passages of notes grouped in threes) on a wind instrument by a combination of single- and double-tonguing
wooden tongue
a disease of cattle and sheep , caused by infection with an Actinobacillus lignieresii and characterized by soft tissue lesions , esp of the tongue
adder's-tongue
any of several terrestrial ferns of the genus Ophioglossum, esp O. vulgatum, that grow in the N hemisphere and have a spore-bearing body that sticks out like a spike from the leaf : family Ophioglossaceae
hound's-tongue
any boraginaceous weedy plant of the genus Cynoglossum, esp the Eurasian C. officinale, which has small reddish-purple flowers and spiny fruits
swollen tongue
Your tongue is the soft movable part inside your mouth which you use for tasting , eating, and speaking.
tongue-lashing
If someone gives you a tongue-lashing , they shout at you or criticize you in a very forceful way.
tongue twister
A tongue-twister is a sentence or expression which is very difficult to say properly, especially when you try to say it quickly. An example of a tongue-twister is 'Red leather , yellow leather'.
tongue depressor
an instrument used to press the tongue down or aside
bite your tongue
to not say a particular thing, even though you want to, because it would be the wrong thing to say at the time, or because you are waiting for a better time to speak
find one's tongue
to recover the ability to talk, as after shock or embarrassment
find your tongue
to begin to talk, when you have previously been too shy or frightened to say anything
hold one's tongue
to keep quiet
tongue-and-groove
the technique of making a joint between two boards by means of a tongue along the edge of one board that fits into a groove along the edge of the other board
tongue in cheek
A tongue-in-cheek remark or attitude is not serious , although it may seem to be.
on everyone's tongue
prevailing as common gossip
slip of the tongue
If you describe something you said as a slip of the tongue , you mean that you said it by mistake .
loosen someone's tongue
If you say that something has loosened someone's tongue , you mean that it has made them talk about something, often when they should have remained silent .
to hold your tongue
If you hold your tongue , you do not say anything even though you might want to or be expected to, because it is the wrong time to say it.
actinobacillosis
a disease of cattle and sheep, caused by infection with an Actinobacillus lignieresii and characterized by soft tissue lesions , esp of the tongue
dogtooth violet
a name for various plants of the liliaceous genus Erythronium , esp the North American E . americanum, with yellow nodding flowers, or the European E. dens-canis, with purple flowers
a slip of the tongue
something that you said by mistake
mother-in-law's tongue
any herbaceous perennial plant of the liliaceous genus Sansevieria , of Old World tropical regions. Some are cultivated as house plants for their erect bayonet-like fleshy leaves of variegated green (mother-in-law's tongue ); others yield useful fibre ( bowstring hemp )
speak with forked tongue
to lie or deliberately mislead people
tongue-and-groove joint
a joint made between two boards by means of a tongue along the edge of one board that fits into a groove along the edge of the other board
(with) tongue in cheek
in a humorously ironic , mocking , or insincere way
give someone a tongue-lashing
to speak harshly or angrily to someone about something that they have done
on the tip of one's tongue
about to come to mind
on the tip of your tongue
If a comment or question is on the tip of your tongue , you really want to say it or ask it, but you decide not to say it.
egg and dart
an ornamental moulding in which a half egg shape alternates with a dart , tongue , or anchor shape
mind your language/tongue/manners
If you tell someone, especially a child, to mind their language , mind their tongue , or mind their manners , you are telling them to speak or behave properly and politely.
on the tip of someone's tongue
almost said by someone
the rough side of one's tongue
harsh words; a reprimand , rebuke , or verbal attack
to get your tongue around something
If you say that you can not get your tongue round or around a particular word or phrase, you mean that you find it very difficult to pronounce .
with one's tongue in one's cheek
with insincere or ironical intent
Chinese translation of 'tongue'
tongue
(tʌŋ)
n
(c) (Anat) 舌头(頭) (shétou) (条(條), tiáo)
(u) (Culin) 口条(條) (kǒutiáo)
(c) (frm, = language) 语(語)言 (yǔyán)
tongue in cheek毫无(無)诚(誠)意的 (háo wú chéngyì de)
All related terms of 'tongue'
mother tongue
母语(語) mǔyǔ
tongue in cheek
毫无(無)诚(誠)意的 háo wú chéngyì de
a slip of the tongue
口误(誤) kǒuwù
to click one's tongue
咂咂舌头(頭) zāzā shétou
to put out one's tongue
伸出舌头(頭) shēnchū shétou
to bite one's lip or tongue
( inf ) 保持沉默 bǎochí chénmò
1 (noun)
Definition
a language, dialect, or idiom
They feel passionately about their native tongue.
Synonyms
language
the English language
speech
vernacular
To use the vernacular of the day, Peter was square.
talk
toddlers babbling on in baby talk
dialect
the number of Italians who speak only local dialect
idiom
I was irritated by his use of archaic idiom.
parlance
He is, in common parlance, a `sad loser'.
lingo (informal)
I don't speak the lingo.
patois
people from the ghetto who speak street patois
argot
the argot of the university campus
2 (noun)
Definition
a manner of speaking
her sharp wit and quick tongue
Synonyms
utterance
the simple utterance of a few platitudes
voice
The crowd gave voice to their anger.
speech
the way common letter clusters are pronounced in speech
articulation
an actor able to sustain clear articulation over long periods
verbal expression
related words
technical namelingua
related adjectiveslingualglottal
figurative note
In the human body, the tongue is the muscular tissue attached to the floor of the mouth used in chewing and speaking. Objects or areas which resemble a tongue also employ this metaphor, for example a tongue of land. The function of the tongue as one of the organs creating speech in humans has led tongue to mean a language, dialect, or idiom. Examples of this are foreign tongue, native tongue, and mother tongue. Equally, tongue can refer to an individual utterance or a manner of speaking, in combination with adjectives like quick, sharp, sweet, and vulgar. A tongue also describes a person's ability to speak: you can lose your tongue or be tongue-tied. The cat can even get your tongue!
Additional synonyms
in the sense of argot
Definition
slang or jargon peculiar to a particular group
the argot of the university campus
Synonyms
jargon,
slang,
dialect,
idiom,
vernacular,
patter,
parlance,
cant,
lingo (informal),
patois
in the sense of articulation
Definition
the expressing of an idea in words
an actor able to sustain clear articulation over long periods
Synonyms
expression,
delivery,
pronunciation,
speech,
saying,
talking,
voicing,
speaking,
utterance,
diction,
enunciation,
vocalization,
verbalization
in the sense of dialect
Definition
a form of a language spoken in a particular geographical area
the number of Italians who speak only local dialect
Synonyms
language,
speech,
tongue,
jargon,
idiom,
vernacular,
brogue,
lingo (informal),
patois,
provincialism,
localism
Synonyms of 'tongue'
tongue
Explore 'tongue' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of idiom
Definition
the characteristic vocabulary or usage of a person or group
I was irritated by his use of archaic idiom.
Synonyms
language,
talk,
style,
usage,
jargon,
vernacular,
parlance,
mode of expression
in the sense of lingo
Definition
any foreign or unfamiliar language or jargon
I don't speak the lingo.
Synonyms
language,
jargon,
dialect,
talk,
speech,
tongue,
idiom,
vernacular,
patter,
cant,
patois,
argot (formal)
in the sense of parlance
Definition
the manner of speaking associated with a particular group or subject
He is, in common parlance, a `sad loser'.
Synonyms
language,
talk,
speech,
tongue,
jargon,
idiom,
lingo (informal),
phraseology,
manner of speaking
in the sense of patois
Definition
the jargon of a particular group
people from the ghetto who speak street patois
Synonyms
jargon,
slang,
vernacular,
patter,
cant,
lingo (informal),
argot
in the sense of speech
Definition
a national or regional language or dialect
the way common letter clusters are pronounced in speech
Synonyms
language,
tongue,
utterance,
jargon,
dialect,
idiom,
parlance,
articulation,
diction,
lingo (informal),
enunciation
in the sense of talk
toddlers babbling on in baby talk
Synonyms
language,
words,
speech,
jargon,
slang,
dialect,
lingo (informal),
patois,
argot
in the sense of vernacular
Definition
the commonly spoken language or dialect of a particular people or place
To use the vernacular of the day, Peter was square.