Tongs

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /tÉ’Å‹z/
• GenAm IPA: /tɔŋz/
• cot-caught IPA: /tÉ‘Å‹z/

tong ("tool for manipulating things in a fire") + -s

Full definition of tongs

Noun

1. (Plural of tong) 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.
2. (by extension) (Plural of tong) 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.

Derived terms

• ice tongs
• pipe tongs

Verb

1. tongs

   (third-person singular of tong)

tong ("Chinese secret society") + s

Noun

plural

1. Plural of tong

Anagrams

• stong