1. C 舌头　 the movable fleshy organ in the mouth, used for tasting, moving food around, and, in human beings, for producing speech
2. C 语言，口语　 a spoken language

　acquire a foreign ～　学会一种外国语
　bite one's ～　保持沉默
　bite one's ～ off　对自己说的话感到懊悔
　click one's ～　咂舌头
　find one's ～　开口，开始说话
　get one's ～ (a)round　准确地读出
　give ～　（热情地）讲，大声说
　hold one's ～　保持沉默
　lose ～　说不出话来，噤不能言
　put out one's ～　伸舌头，做鬼脸
　speak ～　说某种语言
　stick out one's ～　伸出舌头
　abusive ～　出口伤人
　bitter ～　嘴刻薄
　dirty ～　下流话
　fluent ～　口齿伶俐
　foul ～　说话下流，口出恶言
　nasty ～　污秽不堪的话
　native ～　本族语，母语
　quick ～　说话伶俐
　ready ～　口齿伶俐
　sharp ～　说话刻薄
　smooth ～　花言巧语
　mother ～　本族语，母语
　sliver ～　口才，辩才
　ham and ～ sandwiches　火腿牛舌三明治
　～s wag　说闲话，造谣
　tip of ～　舌尖
　on everyone's ～　被众人谈论着
　with one's ～ in one's cheek　不老实地，讽刺地，挖苦地

　The tongue is not steel, yet it cuts.　舌非刀剑，但能伤人。
　We should like smoked tongue for breakfast.　我们喜欢“熏口条”做早餐。
　The shoelace caught on the tongue of his shoe.　鞋带被他的鞋舌钩住了。
　Tongues of flame shot out from the burning hut.　火舌从燃烧的小屋中窜了出来。
　Her name was on the tip of my tongue, but for the life of me I couldn't recall it.　她的名字就在我的嘴边上，可是我无论如何也想不起来了。
　Her name was on the tip of my tongue, but I refrained from saying it just in time.　她的名字已经到了我的嘴边上，我差一点没说出来。
　English is her mother tongue.　英语是她的母语。
　Command of the mother tongue is the most distinguishing mark of an educated man or woman.　运用本国语言的能力是受过教育的人最明显的标志。
　He used the strongest words he could lay tongue to.　他使用了他能想到的最严厉的措词。
　I warned her to guard her tongue in the presence of these people.　我提醒过她在这些人面前说话要谨慎。
　I speak a common tongue with her.　我和她有共同语言。
　Do not give occasion to scandalous tongues to speak of you.　你不要给那些喜欢恶意中伤的人说你坏话的机会。
　Those books were written in tongues so I could not read them.　那些书是用方言写的，所以我看不懂。
　He has a smooth tongue.　他口才流畅。
　He could use his eloquent tongue to stir them to greater savagery.　他可以用他那能说会道的口才煽动他们更大胆地为所欲为。

 ♣ bite one's tongue
　保持缄默　keep silent
　I bit the tongue sorely.　我痛苦地保持着缄默。
　The man was so rude I had to bite my tongue to keep from getting into an argument with him.　那人如此无礼，我只好不作声，避免同他争辩。
 ♣ bite one's tongue off
　对自己说的话感到懊悔　feel immediately sorry for what one has said
　As soon as I made the remark, I could have bitten my tongue off.　那话一出口，我就懊悔了。
 ♣ find one's tongue
　（吓得或羞得说不出话之后）开口　begin talking (after being nervous or shy)
　Mary was very shy when she first arrived although it didn't take her long to find her tongue.　玛丽刚来时很害羞，然而她很快就开口说话了。
　He was struck dumb by the dreadful news. It was long before he found his tongue.　那可怕的消息吓得他目瞪口呆，他过了很久才说出话来。
　In the programme for the parents, John was nervous and could not speak at first; then he found his tongue.　在庆祝父母的节目中，约翰起初紧张得说不出话来，过一会儿他才开始说话。
 ♣ get one's tongue (a)round
　准确地读出　pronounce (a difficult word, name, etc.) correctly
　I find it hard to get my tongue round these Polish names.　我发现很难把这些波兰名字音发准确。
 ♣ give tongue (to)
1. （热情地）讲，大声说 begin talking about (enthusiastically〔vigorously〕)
　They are willing to give tongue in my defence.　他们愿意为我大声疾呼。
2. 表示，表述 express one's opinion
　After the chairman had read the statement, various members of the audience gave tongue to a whole series of objections.　主席念完声明之后，许多观众发表了一系列的反对意见。
 ♣ lose one's tongue
　说不出话来；噤不能言　be too embarrassed or surprised to talk
　〔说明〕 lose one's tongue不用于被动结构。
　The naughty boy lost his tongue in the presence of the headmaster.　这顽皮的孩子一到校长面前就不敢做声了。
　The stranger's question surprised me so that I temporarily lost my tongue.　那陌生人的询问使我大吃一惊，一时之间连话都说不出来了。
 ♣ tongues wag
　说闲话；造谣　there is gossip or rumour
　Their scandalous affair has really set tongues wagging.　他们的风流事可招来了不少闲话。
 ♣ (with) (one's) tongue in (one's) cheek
　不诚恳地，言不由衷地　without seriously meaning what one says
　He described me as a brilliant singer, but he said it tongue in cheek.　他把我说成是出色的歌手，但这是言不由衷的话。
　Don't be fooled by all his complimentary remarks—they were all said with tongue in cheek.　别让他的恭维话给蒙骗住了——那些话可不能当真。
　He suggested that Andy should captain the football team, although he did say it with his tongue in his cheek.　他建议安迪当足球队长，不过他是言不由衷的。

 ♣ tongue, language
　参见language条。

　tongue　还可用作动词，意思是“舔， 闲谈， 斥责；吹管乐器”。

　［同义词］ language
　［词源］　古英语tunge <古高地德语zunga <拉丁语lingua（舌，语言）