Crossword Genius

A pair to pick up with (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tongs

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'a pair' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how one could define the other.

'to pick up with' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'to' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'ngs' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for tongs that I've seen before include "Fire-irons" , "Tool used for picking up things" , "lots of criminals out East" , "Gripping device with two hinged legs" , "Tool for grasping or lifting" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.