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

• 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

See Examples For:

tong

Among the land creatures, there were ishongo, humans and other animals, and tong, plants and trees.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 14, 2023

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

The upright scholar, the ex-government official, calls him a fan tong — a rice barrel.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen