long tonguen.

1557 T. North tr. A. de Guevara Diall Princes iii. lxviii. f. 260/2 With a longe tonge, as a bolde speaker, with out measure.

a1625 J. Fletcher Wild-goose Chase (1652) v. iv. 53 What ye have seen, be secret in:..No more of your long tongue.

a1676 J. Dunton Remains (1684) 193 Beloved, if that you would but seriously consider what wide Ears and long Tongues too many Men now adays have, it would make you blush, sweat, and stand amazed.

1704 W. Wycherley Misc. Poems 64 Stop thy Throat, not our Ears, with thy long Tongue.

1792 J. Richardson Fugitive iii. iii. 40 However, thinks I, all your French folk have woundy long tongues, and if he knows any thing, fifty to one but he pops it out.

1835 Fraser's Mag. July 17/1 The rankolous woman was fell glad, having come to their gate primed and loaded with matter, to give them a ‘breeze’ of her long tongue.

1858 R. M. Ballantyne Coral Island xxxiii. 415 ‘There! you've wakened Avatea with your long tongue,’ retorted Peterkin, with a frown.

1930 D. L. Sayers Strong Poison xvi. 197 Mrs. Pegler, a very stout, pussy old lady with a long tongue.

1961 A. Hosain Sunlight on Broken Column ii. ii. 121 This Nizaman Bua..has a long tongue and when she nags I feel as if I had cleaned my teeth with..sour lemon juice.

2006 J. Waller Irish Flames 56 Irishmen have long tongues, but long memories also.

?1562 W. Ward tr. R. Roussat Most Excellent Bk. Doctour & Astrologien Arcandam sig. R. j^v The vpper lyppes smale and somewhat loftye, signifie the man to bee a blabbe and a longe tongue [Fr. vn homme langard fort enuieux & accusateur].

1627 W. Hawkins Apollo Shroving ii. i. 19 Not thou, nor the loud long tongue blabbe fame, can giue the inuentary of my perfections.

1718 S. Keimer Search after Relig. 10 I've heard Long Tongue prate near to Hall of Salters, Who tho' he's much admir'd, he often faulters.

1795 State of Acct. Catholics of Ireland & Ambassadors (single sheet) verso Paid counsellor long tongue for his Wolf Tone speeches.

1838 Gentleman's Mag. June 390/2 I overheard the long-tongue here tell you many things that never ought to have been known.

1876 C. C. Robinson Gloss. Words Dial. Mid-Yorks. 73/2 Go agaterds (your ways), long-tongue!

1877 E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. Long-tongue, (1) a tale-bearer.

1926 J. F. Dobie Rainbow in Morning 143 Oh, long-tongue liar, get down on yo' knees.

1981 T. D. Rhone School's Out ii. i, in Old Story Time & Other Plays 128 I can be a real Mother Long-Tongue. Mi temper short and I can spread rumours.

1731 G. Medley tr. P. Kolb Present State Cape Good-Hope II. 155 There is a little Bird at the Cape, for which I know no other Name than what the Cape-Europeans give it, which is Long Tongue [Ger. Nebst diesen kleinen Vogeln findet sich auch einer, den die Einwohner keinen Namen zu geben wissen...Am Bauch ist dieser Vogel gelb, und führet hier den Namen Lang Zung].

1787 J. Latham Gen. Synopsis Birds Suppl. I. 103 Wryneck... I cannot help thinking that it is also found at the Cape of Good Hope, as Kolben mentions a bird by the name of Long Tongue, which inhabits that place.

1790 Coll. Voy. round World III. iv. 937 The long-tongue is about the size of a bull-finch, and his tongue is not only very long, but said to be as hard as iron.

1822 J. Latham Gen. Hist. Birds III. 334 Wryneck... In other places called Emmet Hunter, and Long Tongue.

1843 Penny Cycl. XXVII. 592/2 The Wryneck is the..Long-Tongue..of the modern British.

1908 R. Kearton Brit. Birds' Nests (new ed.) 517 Local and other names : Snake Bird, Cuckoo's Mate, Tongue Bird, Emmet Hunter, Long Tongue, Barking Bird.