Meaning
pincers, tongs
- a gripping tool with two pivoted handles and jaws, used for gripping or cutting
- a military or tactical pincer movement
In a sentence
Passami la tenaglia per estrarre questo chiodo dal muro.
Hand me the pincers to pull this nail out of the wall.
L'esercito ha circondato la città con una manovra a tenaglia.
The army surrounded the city with a pincer movement.
Non riesco ad aprire questa scatola senza una tenaglia adatta.
I can't open this box without suitable pincers.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| tenaglia | feminine · singular |
| tenaglie | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Often used in the plural 'le tenaglie' to refer to a single pair of pincers or pliers, like English.
- Common in the idiom 'a tenaglia' to describe a closing-in maneuver or grip.