See Also: tongs(dictionary)
tongs(dictionary)
curling tongs(dictionary)

tongs (iou)



tongs noun pl. Also (long obsolete exc. in sense 1b) in sing. tong.

Treated as pl. or (rare, chiefly Scot.) sing. An implement consisting of two long limbs or legs, often with flattened or shaped ends, connected by a hinge, pivot, or spring by which their lower ends can be brought together to grasp or take up objects which it is impossible or inconvenient to lift with the hand. Also pair of tongs. OE.
R. P. Jhabvala She dropped several lumps of sugar into her tea with a pair of silver tongs. K. Amis Jacob put the log back with a pair of tongs.
b. sing. tong. One half of a pair of tongs. joc. M19.
Anything, esp. a gripping device, having two long limbs hinged at one end. LME.
b. A pair of hand-shears. Austral. & NZ slang. L19.
c. Oil Industry. A large pipe wrench used for making up or breaking out lengths of pipe or casing. E20.
Phrases & comb.: CURLING-tongs. fire-tongs: see FIRE noun. hammer and tongs: see HAMMER noun. lazy-tongs: see LAZY adjective. oyster-tongs: see OYSTER noun. SPAGHETTI tongs. sugar-tongs: see SUGAR noun. tongman US a person who gathers oysters with tongs. tongsman (a) = tongman above; (b) Oil Industry a person who handles the tongs (sense 2c above). would not touch with a pair of tongs would not have anything to do with (expr. repugnance).