Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tooth and tong

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.17 in modern English

Syllables: tooth and -tong
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Presenting a vigorous and unified opposition.

Example Sentences

"In 1935, I think it was, when a number of Senators and Congressmen introduced grain alcohol bills similar to the one Senator Mundt and I have introduced—but we are told those bills were fought tooth and tong by the oil interests, hence never became law."
"Mrs. Meier, wife of the under sheriff at the jail, turned against me. And Duane West is one of my bitterest enemies. And they were sort of working tooth and tong."
"The old guard is fighting his economic reforms tooth and tong."

Etymology

Blend of tooth and nail + hammer and tongs.

Inflected Forms

more tooth and tong (comparative) most tooth and tong (superlative)

Questions

What does tooth and tong mean?: Presenting a vigorous and unified opposition.
Where does tooth and tong come from?: Blend of tooth and nail + hammer and tongs.

How to pronounce tooth and tong

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