tongs

Meanings

Noun

• any of various devices for taking hold of objects; usually have two hinged legs with handles above and pointed hooks below
• 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.
• 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.
• plural of tong (“instrument”)
• plural of tong (“Chinese secret society”)

Verb

• third-person singular simple present indicative of tong

Synonyms

pair of tongs

Related Words

forceps, pair of tongs, pincers, pliers, scissors, shears, tong, tweezers