tongs
noun /tɒŋz/
/tɑːŋz/
[plural]Idioms 
enlarge imagea tool with two long parts that are joined at one end, used for picking up and holding things
enlarge image- a pair of tongs
- (also curling tongs)(both British English)(North American English curling iron [countable])a tool that is heated and used to curl hairTopics Appearancec2
Word OriginOld English tang(e) (singular), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tang and German Zange.
Idioms
hammer and tongs
- (informal) if two people are at it hammer and tongs or go at it hammer and tongs, they argue or fight with a lot of energy and noise
- We could hear the neighbours going at it hammer and tongs.