tonguing Definition

tongue
noun

1. In certain animals: the fleshy muscular organ attached to the floor of the mouth, used for tasting, licking and swallowing, and in humans as the main organ of speech.
2. The tongue of some animals, eg the ox and sheep, used as food.
3. The ability to speak.

Thesaurus: speech, language, discourse.
4. A particular language.
5. A particular manner of speaking.

Example: a sharp tongue
6. Anything like a tongue in shape.
7. A narrow strip of land that reaches out into water.
8. The clapper in a bell.
9. A flap in the opening of a shoe or boot.
10. A projecting strip along the side of a board that fits into a groove in another.

verb tongued, tonguing

1. To touch or lick something with the tongue.
intr
2. music.
To play a wind instrument by tonguing.
3. music.
To produce (notes) by tonguing.

Idiom: find one's tongue

To be able to speak again after a shock which has left one speechless.

Idiom: hold one's tongue

To say nothing; to keep quiet.
Thesaurus: keep silent, hold back, shut up, clam up, button one's lip (slang).

Idiom: lose one's tongue

To be left speechless with shock or horror, etc.

Idiom: speak in tongues

To speak in an unknown language or a language one has never learned.

Idiom: with one's tongue in one's cheek (tongue in cheek)

With ironic, insincere or humorous intention.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon tunge.

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tonguing
noun

1. music.
A way of playing a wind instrument which allows individual notes to be articulated separately by the tongue opening and blocking the passage of air.

verb

1. Present participle of tongue.