tongs

[ tawngz, tongz ]

noun

, (usually used with a plural verb)

1. any of various implements consisting of two arms hinged, pivoted, or otherwise fastened together, for seizing, holding, or lifting something (usually used with pair of ).

tongs

/ tɒŋz /

plural noun

1. a tool for grasping or lifting, consisting of a hinged, sprung, or pivoted pair of arms or levers, joined at one end Also calledpair of tongs

Word History and Origins

Origin of tongs¹

tong ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tongs¹

plural of Old English tange; related to Old Saxon tanga, Old High German zanga, Old Norse tong

Example Sentences

Oliver James, another flatmate who is studying zoology, transferred the scorpion into a plastic container with kitchen tongs.

From BBC

Add the lobster meat and toss to combine using tongs.

From Salon

During the demonstration at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Kobe, western Japan, where the robot has been developed, a device equipped with tongs slowly descended from the telescopic pipe to a heap of gravel and picked up a granule.

From Seattle Times

Use clean tongs, cutting boards and plates for serving cooked food.

From Seattle Times

He said that while his Labour and Conservative opponents would be going "hammer and tongs to discredit each other" he would be going "hammer and tongs" for Scotland.

From BBC