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This is allegorical imagery from blacksmithing. Ordinarily, a blacksmith would hold work on his anvil with his tongs and strike it with his hammer. The imagery implies he would work with such furious intensity he would strike his work with both hammer and tongs Of course, without being held, the work wouldn't stay still, and would fly off the anvil The implication is that sometimes, employing more effort will not generate more result

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15y ago
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11y ago

The origins of this phrase are from blacksmithing, where tongs are used during forging to hold the hot iron as it is hammered into shape.

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Q: Where did the phrase hammer Tongs come from?
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