Definition of hammer and tongs
: with great force, vigor, or violence
- went at it hammer and tongs
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Recent Examples of hammer and tongs from the Web
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The world knew them as once-in-a-generation rivals, tennis titans who went at each other hammer and tongs.
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But Kirsten, who was born in downstate Belleville and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., enjoys creating wildly ambitious tasks for herself, then going at them hammer and tongs.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hammer and tongs.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of hammer and tongs
circa 1780
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