untongue

present singular third person untongues · participle present untonguing · participle past untongued · past untongued

1. obsoletetransitiveTo deprive of a tongue, or of voice.

   They are the ones who can untongue you, the poet Adler says.

   2006, Lisa Zaran, “The Great Ones”, in The Blondes Lay Content, page 68

   3 more examples

   Especially he ought to untongue it from talking to his prejudice

   1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)

   Mark me, they will untongue you ; decudgel you to a very submissive state of conjugal obedience; and , what is still worse, they will actually bamboozle you —that is to say, unless you deviate your transcendent and subterranean courses.

   1870, William Carleton, The Fair of Emyvale, and the Master and Scholar. Tales, Etc, page 56

   Yet till thine axe untongue me, I'll maintain Ours was a mighty scheme, and that it failed, Its chiefest fault.

   1913, Grace Denio Litchfield, Collected Poems, page 212

2. To take one's tongue off of.

   What?! Hey! Untongue me!

   2018, Dennis Hopeless, John Barber, Doctor Strange Vol. 5

   2 more examples

   Unhand me-- er, untongue me, vile monster!

   2016, Marvel Comics, Power Pack Classic Vol. 1

   "Well, tell it to untongue me! " Han demanded.

   2018, Star Wars: Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel

plural untongues

1. nonce wordSomething that is not a tongue but which does something one associates with a tongue.

   What are you building? she said to him in the same unlanguage, using the same untongue.

   2023, Danger Slater, Alex Woodroe, House of Rot, page 33

   2 more examples

   to stay, dying and composing as the untongue licked him toward oblivion and the tenors sang promisisti.

   2005, The Beloit Poetry Journal - Volumes 56-57, page 18

   I see them walking past its world's -end whine knowing this untongue shreds the tender air in perfect meaninglessness.

   2013, Simon Jarvis, Night Office