1. n. [Drilling]
Large-capacity self-locking wrenches used to grip drillstring components and apply torque. The breakout tongs are the active tongs during breakout operations. A similar set of tongs is tied off to a deadline anchor during breakout operations to provide backup to the connection, not unlike the way a plumber uses two pipe wrenches in an opposing manner to tighten or loosen water pipes, except that breakout tongs are much larger.
