tong

¹ American  

[tawng, tong] / tɔŋ, tɒŋ /

noun

1. tongs.

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verb (used with object)

1. to lift, seize, gather, hold, or handle with tongs, as logs or oysters.

verb (used without object)

1. to use, or work with, tongs.

tong ² American  

[tawng, tong] / tɔŋ, tɒŋ /

noun

1. (in China) an association, society, or political party.

2. (among Chinese living in the U.S.) a fraternal or secret society, often associated with criminal activities.

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tong ¹ British  

/ tɒŋ /

verb

1. to gather or seize with tongs

2. to curl or style (hair) with curling tongs

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tong ² British  

/ tɒŋ /

noun

1. (formerly) a Chinese secret society or association, esp one popularly assumed to engage in criminal activities

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tong Idioms  

1. see hammer and tongs.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tonger
  noun

Etymology

Origin of tong¹

before 900; 1865–70, tong ¹ for def. 2; Middle English tong ( e ) (singular), tongen, tonges (plural), Old English; cognate with Dutch tang, German Zange pair of tongs or pincers; akin to Greek dáknein to bite

Origin of tong²

1880–85, < dialectal Chinese (Guangdong) tòhng, akin to Chinese táng meeting hall

Example Sentences

His business is quite a bit different from that of traditional watermen, who tong the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for wild oysters.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2020

"We go at each other hammer and tong, but he's my friend."

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2018

They want to have connections, associates, a tong.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2016

Shrimp Boy took Lo to the tong, showed her how to bow down at the shrines and pay proper respects.

From New York Times • Oct. 13, 2015

But this time she didn’t call him a fan tong.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen