neat's-tongue
Definition
Noun (no plural form typically used): - Food item: "neat's-tongue" refers to the tongue of an ox or cow prepared as food, often pickled or boiled.
Usage Examples
- (The cow's tongue prepared as a meal.)
- (A preserved tongue dish from cattle.)
Advanced Usage
- "Neat's-tongue" in historical context: This term was common in 18th and 19th-century English cookery, often appearing in household manuals and menus.
- The Victorian banquet included neat's-tongue as a delicacy. (A special dish of cattle tongue.)
Variants and Related Words
Neat (archaic noun): an ox or bovine animal.
- The farmer kept a herd of neat for milk and meat. (Cattle, especially oxen.)
Tongue (noun): the muscular organ in the mouth, also used as food.
- Beef tongue is similar to neat's-tongue but usually from a cow rather than an ox.
Synonyms
- Ox tongue: a direct synonym, referring to the tongue of an ox prepared as food.
- Beef tongue: the tongue of a cow, commonly used in modern cuisine.
Related Idioms
- "To have a neat's-tongue" (rare, historical): to be well-fed or enjoy a luxurious meal.
- The squire always had a neat's-tongue for Christmas dinner. (He enjoyed a lavish feast.)
Notes
- This word is now largely archaic or historical. In modern English, "beef tongue" or "ox tongue" is used instead. The spelling "neat's-tongue" may include a hyphen or be written as two words: "neat's tongue".