Definition Definition

tongue - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'tongue' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Tongue [ n.]
- an organ situated in the floor of the mouth of most vertebrates and connected with the hyoid arch.
- The power of articulate utterance; speech.
- Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
- Honorable discourse; eulogy.
- A language; the whole sum of words used by a particular nation; as, the English tongue.
- Speech; words or declarations only; -- opposed to thoughts or actions.
- A people having a distinct language.
- The lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk.
- The proboscis of a moth or a butterfly.
- The lingua of an insect.
- Any small sole.
- That which is considered as resembing an animal's tongue, in position or form.
- A projection, or slender appendage or fixture; as, the tongue of a buckle, or of a balance.
- A projection on the side, as of a board, which fits into a groove.
- A point, or long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or a lake.
- The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
- The clapper of a bell.
- 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.
- Same as Reed, n., 5.
2 . Tongue [ v. i.]
- To talk; to prate.
- To use the tongue in forming the notes, as in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
3 . Tongue [ v. t.]
- To speak; to utter.
- To chide; to scold.
- To modulate or modify with the tongue, as notes, in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
- To join means of a tongue and grove; as, to tongue boards together.

Meaning of 'tongue' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . tongue [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a manner of speaking
Example in sentence:
  • he spoke with a thick tongue;
  • she has a glib tongue
Meaning (2):
- any long thin projection that is transient
Example in sentence:
  • rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark;
  • tongues of flame licked at the walls