tongs en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /tɔŋz/ (General-American)
- /tɑŋz/ (cot-caught-merger)
- /tɒŋz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Middle English tonges, equivalent to tong (“tool for manipulating things in a fire”) + -s.
Meanings
-
(plural, plural-only) An instrument or tool used for picking things up without touching them with the hands or fingers, consisting of two slats or grips hinged at the end or in the middle, and sometimes including a spring to open the grips.
There was also hairdressing: hairdressing, too, really was hairdressing in those times — no running a comb through it and that was that. It was curled, frizzed, waved, put in curlers overnight, waved with hot tongs;[…].
1977, Agatha Christie, chapter 4, in An Autobiography, part II, London: Collins, →ISBN:
- (broadly, plural, plural-only) A large scissors-like two-piece center-hinged forged-iron implement with oval-loop handles and with pointed tips turned inward (in the same plane as and perpendicular to the handles) to facilitate lifting and carrying a block of ice. Often called ice tongs.
Deriveds
pipe tongs · pipetongs · spaghetti tongs · grappling tongs · port tongs · fire tongs · curling tongs · lazy tongs · ice tongs · hammer and tongs
Relateds
pair of tongs · pliers · tweezers · forceps · pincers · tong · shears · scissors
Translations (89)
bg щипци (instrument) · ka მაშები (instrument) · hy աքցան (instrument) · he מלקחת (instrument) · de Servierzange (instrument) · rup cleashti (instrument) · de Grillzange (instrument) · de Nudelzange (instrument) · fa پلاس (instrument) · de Zange (instrument) · fa کلبتین (instrument) · lb Zaang (instrument) · ka მარწუხი (instrument) · sv griptång (instrument) · vo zäp (instrument) · alt кыскаш (instrument) · tr maşa (instrument) · ja -挟み (instrument) · tr kısaç (instrument) · hi चिमटा (instrument) · ga teanchair (instrument) · ta இடுக்கி (instrument) · fr pinces (instrument) · pl szczypce (instrument) · lt žnyplės (instrument) · th คีม (instrument) · de Salatzange (instrument) · ja -箸 (instrument) · rar pīngo‘i (instrument) · ru схва́ты (instrument) · nl tang (instrument) · mk клешти (instrument) · la forceps (instrument) · pt tenaz (instrument) · ar كَلْبَتَان (instrument) · fi pihdit (instrument) · de Greifzange (instrument) · ja パンばさみ (instrument) · sw koleo (instrument) · kk қысқаш (instrument) · tr kıskaç (instrument) · ja 火箸 (instrument) · it pinzetta (instrument) · ba ҡыпсыуыр (instrument) · pt pegador (instrument) · cmn 鉗子 /钳子 (instrument) · sk kliešte (instrument) · ota قیصاج (instrument) · sv tång (instrument) · de Küchenzange (instrument) · sm iʻofi (instrument) · kmr kêlbetan (instrument) · ga tlú (instrument) · vi cái gắp đá (instrument) · ro clește (instrument) · klj ambur (instrument) · pt pinça (instrument) · az kəlbətin (instrument) · it tenaglie (instrument) · th แหนบ (instrument) · vo filazäp (instrument) · sw makoleo (instrument) · es tenacillas (instrument) · cs kleště (instrument) · el λαβίδες (instrument) · de Greifer (instrument) · nan-hbl 钳 (instrument) · grc λαβίς (instrument) · cpg καϊζάρ (instrument) · alt капкы (instrument) · mi pīnohi (instrument) · ja e.g. (instrument) · is töng (instrument) · mi kape (instrument) · ota ماشه (instrument) · dsb klěšće (instrument) · ba ҡыпһыуыр (instrument) · de Zuckerzange (instrument) · es pinzas (instrument) · ja トング (instrument) · kum маша (instrument) · gmy 𐀢𐀨𐀄𐀵𐀫 n du (instrument) · ko 집게 (instrument) · sq darë (instrument) · da tang (instrument) · ia tenalia (instrument) · es tenazuelas (instrument) · ru щипцы́ (instrument) · ii ꇣꑐ (instrument)