First Known Use: 1883
Dictionary
1tong
noun \ˈtäŋ, ˈtȯŋ\
Definition of TONG
: a secret society or fraternal organization especially of Chinese in the United States formerly notorious for gang warfare
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Origin of TONG
Chinese (Guangdong) tòhng, literally, hall
2tong
verb
Definition of TONG
transitive verb
: to take, gather, hold, or handle with tongs <tong oysters>
intransitive verb
: to use tongs especially in taking or gathering something
— tong·er \ˈtäŋ-ər, ˈtȯŋ-\ noun
Origin of TONG
tongs
First Known Use: 1868
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