DEFINITIONS

tong

1
[ tawng, tong ]
/ tɔŋ, tɒŋ /

noun

tongs.

verb (used with object)

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

verb (used without object)

to use, or work with, tongs.

Content related to tong

This American Children’s Rhyme Isn’t So American After All . . .Is it originally American? British? Dutch? It gets a little complicated because parts of the rhyme probably come from different places and times.
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Words nearby tong

toneme, toner, tonetic, tonetics, tonette, tong, tonga, tongan, tongass national forest, tonghua, tongking

Origin of tong

1
before 900; 1865–70, 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

OTHER WORDS FROM tong

tong·er, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tong

thong tong tongue

Definition for tong (2 of 2)

tong2
[ tawng, tong ]
/ tɔŋ, tɒŋ /

noun

(in China) an association, society, or political party.
(among Chinese living in the U.S.) a fraternal or secret society, often associated with criminal activities.

Origin of tong

2
1880–85, Americanism; < dialectal Chinese (Guangdong) tòhng, akin to Chinese táng meeting hall
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tong

British Dictionary definitions for tong (1 of 2)

tong1
/ (tɒŋ) /

verb (tr)

to gather or seize with tongs
to curl or style (hair) with curling tongs

British Dictionary definitions for tong (2 of 2)

tong2
/ (tɒŋ) /

noun

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

Word Origin for tong

C20: from Chinese (Cantonese) t'ong meeting place
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with tong

tong

see hammer and tongs.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.