(d) The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
(e) The clapper of a bell.
(f) (Naut.) A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also. the upper
main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
(g) (Mus.) Same as Reed, n., 5.
To hold the tongue,
to be silent. — Tongue bone (Anat.), the hyoid bone. — Tongue grafting.
See under Grafting.
Syn. — Language; speech; expression. See Language.
Tongue
(Tongue) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tongued ; p. pr. & vb. n. Tonguing.]
1. To speak; to utter. "Such stuff as madmen tongue." Shak.
2. To chide; to scold.
How might she tongue me.
Shak. 3. (Mus.) To modulate or modify with the tongue, as notes, in playing the flute and some other wind
instruments.
4. To join means of a tongue and grove; as, to tongue boards together.
Tongue
(Tongue), v. i.
1. To talk; to prate. Dryden.
2. (Mus.) To use the tongue in forming the notes, as in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
Tonguebird
(Tongue"bird`) n. The wryneck. [Prov. Eng.]
Tongued
(Tongued) a. Having a tongue.
Tongued like the night crow.
Donne. Tonguefish
(Tongue"fish`) n. (Zoöl.) A flounder (Symphurus plagiusa) native of the southern coast of
the United States.
Tongueless
(Tongue"less) a.
1. Having no tongue.
2. Hence, speechless; mute. "What tongueless blocks were they! would they not speak?" Shak.
3. Unnamed; not spoken of. [Obs.]
One good deed dying tongueless.
Shak. Tonguelet
(Tongue"let) n. A little tongue.
Tongue-pad
(Tongue"-pad`) n. A great talker. [Obs.]
Tongue-shaped
(Tongue"-shaped`) a. Shaped like a tongue; specifically (Bot.), linear or oblong, and
fleshy, blunt at the end, and convex beneath; as, a tongue-shaped leaf.