- [countable]
the soft part in the mouth that moves around, used for tasting, swallowing, speaking, etc. 舌；舌头 He clicked his tongue to attract their attention. 他咂嘴发出啧啧声以吸引他们的注意。 She ran her tongue over her lips. 她用舌头舔着嘴唇。 It's very rude to stick your tongue out at people. 向别人吐舌头是非常不礼貌的。
Extra ExamplesTopics Bodyb1The dog lay in a patch of shade with its tongue hanging out. 那条狗躺在一块阴凉处，舌头耷拉在嘴外面。 The snake's tongue flicked out of its mouth. 那条蛇吐出芯子。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- forked
- loose
- …
- poke out
- put out
- stick out
- …
- hang out
- flick
- flicker
- …
- piercing
- a slip of the tongue
- be on the tip of your tongue
- get your tongue around something
- …
- [uncountable, countable]
the tongue of some animals, cooked and eaten 口条 a slice of ox tongue 一片牛口条
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- forked
- loose
- …
- poke out
- put out
- stick out
- …
- hang out
- flick
- flicker
- …
- piercing
- a slip of the tongue
- be on the tip of your tongue
- get your tongue around something
- …
- [countable] (formal or literary)
a language 语言 None of the tribes speak the same tongue. 这些部落所说的语言都不相同。 I tried speaking to her in her native tongue. 我试着用她的本族语和她说话。
Extra ExamplesThe market place was full of people speaking many strange tongues. 市场里挤满了操着多种陌生语言的人。 She could hear men whispering in a foreign tongue. 她能听到有人用外语在低声说话。 She speaks English and Danish, though her native tongue is German. 尽管她的母语是德语，她说英语和丹麦语。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- mother
- native
- common
- …
- speak
- in a/the tongue
- speak in tongues
- [singular]
a particular way of speaking 说话方式 He has a sharp tongue. 他说话尖酸刻薄。 - (formal)
I'll thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head (= speak politely). 请你说话讲究礼貌。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- forked
- loose
- …
- poke out
- put out
- stick out
- …
- hang out
- flick
- flicker
- …
- piercing
- a slip of the tongue
- be on the tip of your tongue
- get your tongue around something
- …
- -tongued
(in adjectives 构成形容词 speaking in the way mentioned 有…说话方式的；说话…的 sharp-tongued 说话尖刻的
- [countable]
a long, narrow piece of leather under the laces on a shoe 鞋舌 
- [countable] tongue (of something) (literary)
something that is long and narrow and like a tongue in shape 舌状物 a tongue of flame 火舌
Word OriginOld English tunge, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tong, German Zunge, and Latin lingua.
Idioms
bite your tongue
to stop yourself from saying something that might upset somebody or cause an argument, although you want to speak 隐忍不言（避免祸从口出）
(has the) cat got your tongue?
find your voice/tongue
to be able to speak or express your opinion 能说出自己的看法；能表达自己的意见
get your tongue around/round something
to pronounce a difficult word correctly 正确发出（难读单词）的音 He was having trouble getting his tongue around my name. 他念我的名字有困难。
have a loose tongue
to talk too much, especially about things that are private （尤指对隐私）多嘴，饶舌
hold your tongue/peace
- (old-fashioned)
to say nothing although you would like to give your opinion 忍住不说；保持缄默
loosen somebody’s tongue
on the tip of your tongue
if a word or name is on the tip of your tongue, you are sure that you know it but you cannot remember it 话在嘴边上（却一时想不起来）
roll/slip/trip off the tongue
set tongues wagging | tongues are wagging
- (informal)
to cause people to start talking/people are talking about somebody’s private affairs 惹得满城风雨；使议论纷纷；招闲话 His sudden resignation set tongues wagging. 他的突然辞职引起了人们的议论。 This is a small island and tongues are beginning to wag. 这是一个小岛, 人们开始议论纷纷。
a slip of the pen/tongue
watch your mouth/tongue
to be careful what you say in order not to offend somebody or make them angry 说话当心；嘴上留个把门的
with your tongue in your cheek | with tongue in cheek
if you say something with your tongue in your cheek, you are not being serious and mean it as a joke 说说而已；半开玩笑地