1tongue 
/ˈtʌŋ/ noun
plural tongues /ˈtʌŋ/ noun 1 a [count] : the soft, movable part in the mouth that is used for tasting and eating food and in human beings for speaking
▪ The cow ran its tongue over its lips. ▪ The taste of the spice was still on her tongue. ▪ The little girl stuck her tongue out at me. ▪ My mom shook her head and clicked her tongue [=made a noise with her tongue] in disapproval. — see picture at mouth
b [count, noncount] : the tongue of an animal (such as an ox or sheep) that is eaten as food 2 [count] : language
▪ He spoke in a foreign tongue. ▪ English is my native tongue. ▪ They speak the same tongue. — see also mother tongue 3 [count] : a particular way or quality of speaking
▪ His sharp/quick tongue is going to get him into trouble someday. ▪ Although she was angry, she kept a civil tongue. [=she was polite] ▪ Watch your tongue, young man! [=don't say rude or offensive things] — see also tongued 4 [count] : something that is shaped like a tongue — + of ▪ tongues of fire/flame 5 [count] : a long flap that is under the laces or buckles of a shoe — see picture at shoe 6 [count] : a long, raised part at the end of a board that extends out and fits into a long cut (called a groove) in another board — see also tongue-and-groove
▪ The cow ran its tongue over its lips. ▪ The taste of the spice was still on her tongue. ▪ The little girl stuck her tongue out at me. ▪ My mom shook her head and clicked her tongue [=made a noise with her tongue] in disapproval. — see picture at mouth
b [count, noncount] : the tongue of an animal (such as an ox or sheep) that is eaten as food
▪ He spoke in a foreign tongue. ▪ English is my native tongue. ▪ They speak the same tongue. — see also mother tongue
▪ His sharp/quick tongue is going to get him into trouble someday. ▪ Although she was angry, she kept a civil tongue. [=she was polite] ▪ Watch your tongue, young man! [=don't say rude or offensive things] — see also tongued
a slip of the tongue — see 2slip
bite your tongue — see 1bite
Cat got your tongue? — see cat
get your tongue around
informal ◊If you cannot get your tongue around a word or phrase, you have difficulty saying it.
▪ I can't get my tongue around his last name.
▪ I can't get my tongue around his last name.
hold your tongue — see 1hold
loosen someone's tongue — see loosen
on the tip of your tongue — see 3tip
roll/trip off the tongue
: to be easy to say or pronounce
▪ The name just rolls off the tongue.
▪ The name just rolls off the tongue.
speak in tongues
◊Someone who is speaking in tongues is saying strange words that no one can understand, especially as part of a religious experience.
speak/talk with (a) forked tongue — see forked
tongues (are) wagging
◊If something sets/gets tongues wagging or if tongues are wagging, people are talking a lot about something.
▪ The news of their engagement set tongues wagging. = Tongues were wagging over their engagement.
▪ The news of their engagement set tongues wagging. = Tongues were wagging over their engagement.
with (your) tongue in (your) cheek
