Wiktionary
n. 1 A long, narrow, smooth piece of wood designed to depress the tongue, to allow for examination of the rear of the oral cavity. 2 (context less commonly English) Any device used to depress the tongue.
WordNet
n. a thin depressor used to press the tongue down during an examination of the mouth and throat
Wikipedia
A tongue depressor is a tool used in medical practice to depress the tongue to allow for examination of the mouth and throat. The most common modern tongue depressors are flat, thin, wooden blades, smoothed and rounded at both ends, but, historically, tongue depressors have been made of a variety of materials. Since they are inexpensive and difficult to clean, wooden tongue depressors are labeled for disposal after a single use.
Hobbyists and teachers have found a multitude of uses for tongue depressors (sometimes called "craft sticks," or "Meyerhoffer sticks") in their projects. Tongue depressors may be used to form so-called " stick bombs".
Earlier versions of depressors were made from balsa, pine, or redwood woods. For instance, tongue depressors from the American Civil War which were made from wood and metal exist.
Usage examples of "tongue depressor".
A tongue depressor can serve as a ramp to the top of the jar, making it even easier for the insects to get up and into the container.
He stuck the tongue depressor in her mouth and peered down her throat with the flashlight.
And unbeknownst to the women, that tongue depressor had on it a small dose of LSD.
Danny sat down in the surgeon's chair, and Todd began to apply a gray goo-SS electrode compound-to the spots on Danny's scalp which he had just cleaned, using a tongue depressor with deft strokes.
Danny sat down in the surgeons chair, and Todd began to apply a gray gooSS electrode compoundto the spots on Dannys scalp which he had just cleaned, using a tongue depressor with deft strokes.
Which not only knocked him out but neutralized the reactive agents that he had absorbed through the mucous membranes in his mouth-put there by the tongue depressor.
Which not only knocked him out but neutralized the reactive agents that he had absorbed through the mucous membranes in his mouthput there by the tongue depressor.
She placed two bottles, a thermometer, a plastic tongue depressor, and a paper pill cup on the tray and covered them with a cloth.
At last he put away his stethoscope and used a tongue depressor to look down Baker's throat.