Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In lumbering, handling logs with skidding-tongs.
- noun The use of the oyster-tongs; the method or practice of taking oysters with tongs.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb Present participle of
tong . - verb The action of
seizing ,grabbing ,holding , ormanipulating a given object with tongs. - verb colloquial The action of seizing an object with tongs for the purpose of pictorially documenting the event.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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They call that 'tonging' oysters, an 'the thing he uses is called the' tongs. '"
The Boy With the U. S. Fisheries Francis Rolt-Wheeler 1918
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On Monday at around 11:15 a.m., NRP officers watched as two boats hand tonging for oysters in the Possum Point Oyster Sanctuary of the Corsica River in Queen Anne County.
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It instead opted for a limited tonging season, a much more laborious process of culling oysters from the sea floor by hand using a rake.
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“Do, darling,” said Mummy, as well as she could with someone applying lip gloss and someone else tonging her hair.
The Little Lady Agency and the Prince Hester Browne 2008
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“Do, darling,” said Mummy, as well as she could with someone applying lip gloss and someone else tonging her hair.
The Little Lady Agency and the Prince Hester Browne 2008
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“Do, darling,” said Mummy, as well as she could with someone applying lip gloss and someone else tonging her hair.
The Little Lady Agency and the Prince Hester Browne 2008
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Switzerland speaks of the method of tonging oysters in 1701, but note that he says, "They usually pull from six to ten times."
The Bounty of the Chesapeake Fishing in Colonial Virginia James Wharton
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My father was smoking his _doodeen_ in the chimney corner, my mother was overseeing the girls that were tonging the flax, and I and the other _gossoons_ were doing nothing at all, only roasting _praties_ in the ashes.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 13, No. 352, January 17, 1829 Various
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He says there were 1000 boats engaged in dredging and 1500 canoes engaged in tonging.
The Oyster 1891
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A large coast-bound caravan, carrying ivory tusks with double-toned bells suspended to them, ting-tonging as they moved along, was met on the way; and as some of the pagazis composing it were men who had formerly taken me to the Victoria N'yanza, warm recognitions passed between us.
The Discovery of the Source of the Nile John Hanning Speke 1845
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