tenaille

pincers, tongs

noun teh-NAY Rare

Origin: Old French tenaille, from Latin tenaculum (holder)

Usage Note

Tenaille is typically used in the plural tenailles to refer to pincers or tongs used as a tool. In military strategy, a 'tenaille movement' (mouvement en tenaille) means a pincer movement, squeezing the enemy from two sides. The singular form is less common and mainly appears in historical or architectural contexts.

Examples

"Il serre l'écrou avec des tenailles."

Natural Translation

He tightens the nut with pincers.

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