Tongs: meaning, definitions and examples

Tongs are commonly used in cooking or serving food, allowing you to grip and lift items like salad, hot food, or ice cubes. They are typically long and have a scissor-like appearance.

• Can you pass me the tongs to serve the salad?
• She used the tongs to flip the steaks on the grill.

Pincers are tools designed for gripping and pulling out nails or other objects. They have a strong grip and are often used in carpentry or by blacksmiths.

• The carpenter used pincers to remove the old nails from the wood.
• Pincers are essential for any blacksmith to grip hot metal.

Nippers are small tools with sharp edges, mostly used for cutting small wires or trimming nails. They are commonly found in manicure or electrical tool kits.

• The electrician used nippers to cut the thin wire.
• She carefully trimmed her nails with nippers.

Pliers are versatile tools used for gripping, bending, or cutting wires and other materials. They come in different types, such as needle-nose or flat-nose pliers, and are commonly found in toolboxes.

• He used pliers to twist the wires together.
• The mechanic used needle-nose pliers to reach into the tight space.