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tongue

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈtəŋ// UK //tˈʌŋ// tongue Archaic General-service Slang Vulgar

n. the soft, moving part inside your mouth that you use for tasting, licking, and speaking. It is also a word for a language.

n. the fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and articulating speech. It can also refer to a specific language or a strip of material under the laces of a shoe.


SIMPLE

The doctor asked me to stick out my tongue.

CONTEXTUAL

She spoke in her mother tongue during the phone call, as it felt more natural than using English.

COMPLEX

The chef's palate was so refined that even a tiny sample on the tip of his tongue allowed him to identify every spice in the complex sauce.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used in the idiom 'mother tongue' to refer to a first language; also used to describe the flap of leather under shoe laces.

Pitfall

English is my first tongueEnglish is my mother tongueWhile 'tongue' can mean language, learners should use the fixed collocation 'mother tongue' or 'native language' when referring to their first language.

Idioms17 entries

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