tong

1 of 2

noun

ˈtäŋ 

ˈtȯŋ

: a secret society or fraternal organization especially of Chinese in the U.S. formerly notorious for gang warfare

tong

2 of 2

verb

tonged; tonging; tongs

transitive verb

: to take, gather, hold, or handle with tongs

tong oysters

intransitive verb

: to use tongs especially in taking or gathering something

tonger

ˈtäŋ-ər 

ˈtȯŋ-

noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What's a tong? —Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 19 Dec. 2022

Using tongs, pull away the loose pieces of skin and any fat that comes with them and discard them. —Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 7 Apr. 2023

After 10 minutes, open the air fryer, and rotate the wings using tongs. —Isadora Baum, Men's Health, 5 Apr. 2023

In the 19th century, violent wars between tongs drew extensive news coverage. —Anh Do, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2023

When in doubt, undercook them a tiny bit.) Remove the ramekins with tongs or a spatula, transfer to a plate, sprinkle with chives, and serve with the croutons on the side. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 28 Mar. 2023

If your chops have a fat cap, using tongs, stand the chops up on their narrow sides, fat side down, and sear until crisp, about 1 minute. —Ali Slagle, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2023

Using tongs, toss well to combine for 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a serving bowl. —Amisha Gurbani, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2023

Then, use grill tongs to wipe a cleaning towel over the hot surface to soak up any leftover water and remove the remaining food bits. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2023

Verb

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. —Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2020

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Chinese (Guangdong) tòhng, literally, hall

Verb

tongs

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined at transitive sense