Collocations for tongue - noun

forked | loose, sharp
(both figurative) Everyone knows now, thanks to Ken''s loose tongue (= he could not keep the secret). | She could tear a character to pieces in three minutes with her sharp tongue.

poke/put/stick out
It''s very rude to stick your tongue out at people.

run
He ran his tongue nervously over his lips.

click/cluck | bite, hold
(both figurative) She was dying to say something sarcastic to him, but bit her tongue and stayed silent.

free, loosen
(both figurative) The wine had loosened his tongue.

roll/slip/trip off
It''s not a name that exactly trips off the tongue (= is easy to say).

hang out
The dog lay in a patch of shade with its tongue hanging out.

flick, flicker
The snake''s tongue flicked out of its mouth.

lick sth
His tongue licked dry lips.

wag
(figurative) This is a small island and tongues are beginning to wag (= people are beginning to gossip).

find
(figurative) Before she could find her tongue (= speak) the door had closed behind him.

watch
(figurative) You just watch your tongue (= be careful what you say)!

be on the tip of your tongue
(figurative) It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse.

get your tongue around/round sth
(figurative) He was having trouble getting his tongue around my name.

a tongue of fire/flame
(figurative) Tongues of flame licked up the walls.

mother, native
She speaks English and Danish, though her native tongue is German.

foreign | strange

in a/the ~
She could hear men whispering in a foreign tongue.

speak in tongues
(= to speak in unknown languages, especially at a religious ceremony)