tongs
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Financial, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to tongs: Thongs
tongs
[tongz]an instrument for grasping and holding, consisting of two arms joined by a hinge or pivot.
Gardner-Wells tongs U-shaped tongs used for spinal traction, having pressure--controlled pins that are inserted into the skull at opposite ends to permit application of a longitudinal force to the axis of the spinal column. 
Gardner-Wells tongs. From McQuillan et al., 2002.
Vinke tongs a type of tongs used to exert skeletal traction on the skull, as in surgery for fractures or cervical vertebrae.
tongs
long-handled, about 3 feet, shaped like pincers with knobs on the ends of the grasping blades. Applied by standing behind the subject in a confined space and closing the jaws to grasp the animal's head just below the ears. Used for restraint of pigs and similarly built animals up to about 100 lb body weight.