n. & v.
--n.
1. the fleshy muscular organ in the mouth used in tasting, licking, and swallowing, and (in man) for speech.
2 the tongue of an ox etc. as food.
3 the faculty of or a tendency in speech (a sharp tongue).
4 a particular language (the German tongue).
5 a thing like a tongue in shape or position, esp.: a a long low promontory. b a strip of leather etc., attached at one end only, under the laces in a shoe. c the clapper of a bell. d the pin of a buckle. e the projecting strip on a wooden etc. board fitting into the groove of another. f a vibrating slip in the reed of some musical instruments. g a jet of flame.
--v. (tongues, tongued, tonguing)
1. tr. produce staccato etc. effects with (a flute etc.) by means of tonguing.
2 intr. use the tongue in this way.
Phrases and idioms:
find (or lose) one's tongue be able (or unable) to express oneself after a shock etc. the gift of tongues the power of speaking in unknown languages, regarded as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). keep a civil tongue in one's head avoid rudeness. tongue-and-groove applied to boards in which a tongue along one edge fits into a groove along the edge of the next, each board having a tongue on one edge and a groove on the other. tongue-in-cheek adj. ironic; slyly humorous.
--adv. insincerely or ironically. tongue-lashing a severe scolding or reprimand. tongue-tie a speech impediment due to a malformation of the tongue. tongue-tied
1. too shy or embarrassed to speak.
2 having a tongue-tie. tongue-twister a sequence of words difficult to pronounce quickly and correctly. with one's tongue hanging out eagerly or expectantly. with one's tongue in one's cheek insincerely or ironically.
Derivatives:
tongued adj. (also in comb.). tongueless adj.
Etymology: OE tunge f. Gmc, rel. to L lingua