- [countable]
the soft part in the mouth that moves around, used for tasting, swallowing, speaking, etc. 舌；舌頭 He clicked his tongue to attract their attention. 他咂嘴發出啧啧聲以吸引他們的注意。 She ran her tongue over her lips. 她用舌頭舔着嘴唇。 It's very rude to stick your tongue out at people. 向别人吐舌頭是非常不禮貌的。
Extra ExamplesTopics Bodyb1The dog lay in a patch of shade with its tongue hanging out. 那條狗躺在一塊陰涼處，舌頭耷拉在嘴外面。 The snake's tongue flicked out of its mouth. 那條蛇吐出芯子。
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 口條 a slice of ox tongue 一片牛口條
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 語言 None of the tribes speak the same tongue. 這些部落所說的語言都不相同。 I tried speaking to her in her native tongue. 我試着用她的本族語和她說話。
Extra ExamplesThe market place was full of people speaking many strange tongues. 市場裏擠滿了操着多種陌生語言的人。 She could hear men whispering in a foreign tongue. 她能聽到有人用外語在低聲說話。 She speaks English and Danish, though her native tongue is German. 盡管她的母語是德語，她說英語和丹麥語。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- mother
- native
- common
- …
- speak
- in a/the tongue
- speak in tongues
- [singular]
a particular way of speaking 說話方式 He has a sharp tongue. 他說話尖酸刻薄。 - (formal)
I'll thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head (= speak politely). 請你說話講究禮貌。
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 構成形容詞 speaking in the way mentioned 有…說話方式的；說話…的 sharp-tongued 說話尖刻的
- [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 舌狀物 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（避免禍從口出）
(has the) cat got your tongue?
find your voice/tongue
to be able to speak or express your opinion 能說出自己的看法；能表達自己的意見
get your tongue around/round something
to pronounce a difficult word correctly 正確發出（難讀單詞）的音 He was having trouble getting his tongue around my name. 他念我的名字有困難。
have a loose tongue
to talk too much, especially about things that are private （尤指對隐私）多嘴，饒舌
hold your tongue/peace
- (old-fashioned)
to say nothing although you would like to give your opinion 忍住不說；保持緘默
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 話在嘴邊上（卻一時想不起來）
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 惹得滿城風雨；使議論紛紛；招閒話 His sudden resignation set tongues wagging. 他的突然辭職引起了人們的議論。 This is a small island and tongues are beginning to wag. 這是一個小島, 人們開始議論紛紛。
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 說話當心；嘴上留個把門的
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 說說而已；半開玩笑地