tongs

Related to tongs: Thongs

be at (one) hammer and tongs

To be aggressively confronting one. If the boss blames you for this printing mishap, he'll be at you hammer and tongs in no time.
See also: and, hammer, tongs

be at it hammer and tongs

To do something or perform some task with tremendous fervor, determination, energy, or forcefulness. An allusion to the force with which a blacksmith strikes metal using a hammer and tongs. What started as a minor disagreement has escalated into a heated argument, and the two have been at it hammer and tongs ever since.
See also: and, hammer, tongs

fight (someone or something) hammer and tongs

To combat someone or something with tremendous fervor, determination, energy, or forcefulness. An allusion to the force with which a blacksmith strikes metal using a hammer and tongs. What started as a minor disagreement has escalated into a heated argument, and the two have been fighting each other hammer and tongs ever since.
See also: and, fight, hammer, tongs

go at (one) hammer and tongs

To aggressively confront one . If the boss blames you for this printing mishap, he'll go at you hammer and tongs in no time.
See also: and, go, hammer, tongs

go at it hammer and tongs

To do something or perform some task with tremendous fervor, determination, energy, or forcefulness. An allusion to the force with which a blacksmith strikes metal using a hammer and tongs. What started as a minor disagreement has escalated into a heated argument, and the two have been going at it hammer and tongs ever since. I need to go at this paper hammer and tongs if I want to keep my A in the class.
See also: and, go, hammer, tongs
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fight someone or something hammer and tongs

 and fight someone or something tooth and nail; go at it hammer and tongs; go at it tooth and nail
Fig. to fight against someone or something energetically and with great determination. They fought against the robber tooth and nail. The dogs were fighting each other hammer and tongs.
See also: and, fight, hammer, tongs
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hammer and tongs

Forcefully, with great vigor. For example, She went at the weeds hammer and tongs, determined to clean out the long neglected flowerbed . Often put as go at it hammer and tongs, this phrase alludes to the blacksmith's tools. [c. 1700]
See also: and, hammer, tongs
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

go at it hammer and tongs

BRITISH, INFORMAL
1. If you go at it hammer and tongs, you do something with a lot of energy. `He loved gardening,' sniffed Mrs Gascoigne. `He went at it hammer and tongs as soon as he got back from work.' Note: You can use hammer and tongs in other structures with a similar meaning. She will go hammer and tongs to get what she wants. They'll come at us from all angles, hammer and tongs, but when we get the ball we'll go at them. It should be a good game.
2. If two people are going at it hammer and tongs, they are having a noisy argument. `They were going at it hammer and tongs.' — `What about?' — `I'm not sure, but they were arguing.' Note: You can also say that one person is going at the other hammer and tongs. Goodness knows how long she had been going hammer and tongs at the child like this. Note: The image here is of a blacksmith holding a piece of heated iron with a pair of tongs (= metal tool for holding hot objects), and striking the iron repeatedly with a hammer.
See also: and, go, hammer, tongs
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hammer and tongs

with great energy and noise.
The image here is of a blacksmith striking the hot iron removed from the forge with a pair of tongs.
1996 Emma Lathen Brewing Up a Storm The big fight she had with Sean Cushing . They were going at it hammer and tongs.
See also: and, hammer, tongs
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

be/go at somebody/something ˌhammer and ˈtongs

(informal) do something, especially argue or fight, with a lot of energy and noise: The boss went at me hammer and tongs. I’ve never seen him so angry. The couple in the flat upstairs are always at it hammer and tongs.This idiom refers to the loud noise made by a blacksmith at work when he is making horseshoes. He uses a pair of tongs to hold the hot iron and a hammer to beat the iron into the shape of the shoe.
See also: and, go, hammer, somebody, something, tongs
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hammer and tongs, go at it

Engage with great vigor in work, a contest, a fight, or some other undertaking. This metaphor from the blacksmith’s tools— the hammer used to shape hot metal taken from the fire with tongs—replaced an earlier metaphor from the same source, “between the hammer and the anvil,” with a meaning similar to that of between a rock and a hard place. The current expression was in print by 1708 and has been a cliché since the mid-nineteenth century.
See also: and, go, hammer
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • be at (one) hammer and tongs
  • be/go at somebody/something hammer and tongs
  • go at (one) hammer and tongs
  • go under the hammer
  • come under the hammer
  • come/go under the hammer
  • hammer (something) into (someone or something)
  • hammer into
  • hammer into and pound into
  • hammer down
References in periodicals archive
Tangled up in the coils of a dilemma which necessitated a call to the veterinary university where images showed the tongs clearly with the metal clip at the far end and their two metallic arms loose enough to spread wide inside the snake.
A delicate operation followed (an incision between the scales, according to the doctor) approximately where the big end of the tongs was.
Snake wisdom: A man and his tongs are soon parted
In addition, Tong Tong should not be allowed to continue working because he might be too traumatised by the incident.
Tong Tong was foolish to attempt suicide, if he dies or is badly injured, he would leave his family in a worse financial state.
The case of turning adversity to opportunity
Patent tong surveys use a stratified random sampling design with historical reefs (Baylor 1894, Haven et al.
In addition to patent tong sampling the exploited James River oyster stocks are subject to regular examination within surveys effected using a traditional oyster dredge (e.g., dredge mouth 1.2 m wide, 0.1 m long teeth, bag volume of 147.87 L or 4.19 bushels).
A comparison of dredge and patent tongs for estimation of oyster populations
Yesterday, Dr Tong admitted that an incident had taken place with a local boy.
Dr Tong said: 'This is the result of a long-running dispute.
MEDIC CHARGED: DOCTOR ACCUSED OF STREET ATTACK ON BOY; EXCLUSIVE Consultant quizzed after row with kids
The tongs were thrown on the floor where they began to heat the carpet and smoulder.
DUMB AND SLUMBER; Drunk student sparks fire then snoozes through alarm chaos
Brett Stoyle, who lives in Canton, said: "They were very lovely and apologetic, explaining they couldn't serve them because they didn't have specific tongs.
Customers couldn't buy vegan treat - because store didn't have tongs
Women no longer have to go to the hairdresser to get that glossy look; they simply glide those tongs down their hair.
Clare McKeon Column: Crimper in terror of tongs
Leave out a few face fragments strands and use tongs to softly curl.
Hair we go
In fact, it is co-owned by Home Front presenter Tessa Shaw and it's dedicated to flogging tongs.
@ home
The Sterileware Mini-Tongs provide an economical, practical solution to applications demanding small-sized sterile tongs. With their low cost, these one-use tongs can be disposed of after use, eliminating cleaning and sterilizing procedures, as well as the risk of contamination.
Disposable Sterile Tongs. (Update on Labware)
KUHN RIKON KITCHEN IMPLEMENTS: Kuhn Rikon has introduced the Tong Tools set, including multifunctional utensils for preparing food, and the Krinkle Knife, an ultra-sharp nonstick-coated Japanese stainless blade.
Kuhn Rikon kitchen implements