U.S. [f. TONGS.] a. trans. To grasp, gather, or handle with tongs; spec. to gather (clams or oysters) with oyster-tongs. b. intr. To use or work with tongs. c. trans. To lift or move (a log) with skidding tongs. Hence Tonger, one who gathers oysters with oyster-tongs; Tonging vbl. sb., the use of tongs; spec. the taking of oysters with tongs.
1868. Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 342. Eleven million bushels [of oysters] taken in the legitimate way of dredging and tonging.
1887. Fisheries of U.S., Sect. v. II. 552. As soon as a tonger has caught as many as his small boat will carry he sells out to the runner and returns to work. Ibid. The size of the tonging-canoe ranges from 15 or 16 feet to 30 feet or more.
1891. W. K. Brooks, Oyster, 2. There were 1000 boats engaged in dredging and 1500 canoes engaged in tonging.
1901. Munsey’s Mag., XXV. 386/1. Before it reaches the mill … a saw log is moved four times in four different ways. First, it has to be ‘tonged’ a distance of anywhere from ten to a hundred feet.
