tongue / təng/ • n. 1. the fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and (in humans) articulating speech. ∎  the equivalent organ in other vertebrates, sometimes used (in snakes) as a scent organ or (in chameleons) for catching food. ∎  an analogous organ in insects, formed from some of the mouthparts and used in feeding. ∎  the tongue of a hoofed mammal, in particular an ox or lamb, as food. ∎  used in reference to a person's style or manner of speaking: he was a redoubtable debater with a caustic tongue. ∎  a particular language: the prioress chatted to the peddler in a strange tongue. ∎  (tongues ) see the gift of tongues below.2. a thing resembling or likened to a tongue, in particular: ∎  a long, low promontory of land. ∎  a strip of leather or fabric under the laces in a shoe, attached only at the front end. ∎  the pin of a buckle. ∎  a projecting strip on a wooden board fitting into a groove on another. ∎  the vibrating reed of a musical instrument or organ pipe. ∎  a jet of flame: a tongue of flame flashes four feet from the gun.• v. (tongues, ton·gued, ton·guing / ˈtənging/ ) [tr.] 1. Mus. sound (a note) distinctly on a wind instrument by interrupting the air flow with the tongue.2. lick or caress with the tongue: the other horse tongued every part of the colt's mane.PHRASES: find (or lose) one's tongue be able (or unable) to express oneself after a shock.get one's tongue around pronounce (words): she found it very difficult to get her tongue around the unfamiliar words.the gift of tongues the power of speaking in unknown languages, regarded as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).give tongue (of hounds) bark, esp. on finding a scent. ∎  express one's feelings or opinions freely, sometimes objectionably so.keep a civil tongue in one's head speak politely.speak in tongues speak in an unknown language during religious worship. (with) tongue in cheek without really meaning what one is saying or writing.someone's tongue is hanging out someone is very eager for something: the tabloids have their tongues hanging out for this stuff.DERIVATIVES: tongue·less adj.ORIGIN: Old English tunge, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tong, German Zunge and Latin lingua.