Meaning & use
tonsil hockey
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountableinformalhumorous
The act of kissing someone deeply and for a long time, especially using the tongue.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun, so you say 'some tonsil hockey' or 'a bit of tonsil hockey', not 'a tonsil hockey'.
Patterns
- play tonsil hockey
- a game of tonsil hockey
- some tonsil hockey
The couple in the back row were playing tonsil hockey instead of watching the film.
He joked that they spent the whole party playing tonsil hockey in the kitchen.
My roommate came home late and announced she had been playing tonsil hockey with the guy from her chemistry class.
Common combinations
- play tonsil hockey
- They were playing tonsil hockey on the park bench, completely ignoring everyone around them.
- a game of tonsil hockey
- He laughed and said the movie was boring, so they had a game of tonsil hockey instead.
- some tonsil hockey
- After a few drinks, the two of them sneaked off for some tonsil hockey behind the bar.
- tonsil hockey with someone
- She admitted she had been playing tonsil hockey with her ex-boyfriend at the party.
- a bit of tonsil hockey
- The teenagers thought they were alone and started a bit of tonsil hockey on the sofa.
Synonyms and how they differ
- French kiss
- This is the standard, slightly more polite term for a deep kiss with tongues; use it in most situations instead of 'tonsil hockey'.
- snog
- This is a British informal word for a long kiss; it is more common in the UK and less jokey than 'tonsil hockey'.
- make out
- This is an American informal phrasal verb meaning to kiss and touch romantically; it covers more than just kissing, while 'tonsil hockey' refers only to the kissing itself.
Commonly confused: tonsil hockey or tonsillitis?
tonsil hockey vs tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is a medical condition where your tonsils are swollen and sore. It sounds similar but has nothing to do with kissing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'tonsil hockey' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Tonsil hockey' is an uncountable noun meaning deep kissing, so it fits 'playing tonsil hockey'. The other options confuse it with 'tonsillitis' (a medical condition) or treat it as a countable object you can buy or remove.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tonsil hockey”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.