tong
tong Lexical Profile
tong Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A Chinese association, mutual aid society, or fraternal organization, historically sometimes associated with secret societies in North America.
"During the late nineteenth century, various tong organizations provided vital support and protection to Chinese immigrants in San Francisco."
A single arm or half of a pair of tongs, or a grasping instrument functioning similarly.
"The blacksmith adjusted the lower tong to ensure a secure grip on the glowing iron."
• verb
To grasp, lift, or manipulate an object using a pair of tongs.
"The chef skillfully tonged the hot coals to distribute the heat evenly across the grill."
To gather or harvest marine life, particularly oysters, using specialized long-handled rakes or tongs.
"Local fishermen spent the chilly morning tonging for oysters in the shallow bay."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to a grasping tool, the plural form 'tongs' is standard; the singular 'tong' is rarely used except as an attributive modifier, a verb, or in specialized industrial contexts.
• Rhymes for tong
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The noun meaning 'association' comes from Cantonese 'tōng' (hall or meeting place). The tool 'tongs' and the verb 'to tong' derive from Old English 'tange', originating from Proto-Germanic '*tangō'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.