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neck
[ nek ]
noun
- the part of the body of an animal or human being that connects the head and the trunk.
- the part of a garment encircling, partly covering, or closest to the neck; neckline.
- the length of the neck of a horse or other animal as a measure in racing.
- the slender part near the top of a bottle, vase, or similar object.
- any narrow, connecting, or projecting part suggesting the neck of an animal.
- a narrow strip of land, as an isthmus or a cape.
- a strait.
- the longer and more slender part of a violin or similar stringed instrument, extending from the body to the head.
- Building Trades, Machinery. the part on a shank of a bolt next to the head, especially when it has a special form.
- Anatomy. a narrowed part of a bone, organ, or the like.
- Dentistry. the slightly narrowed region of a tooth between the crown and the root.
- Printing. beard ( def 5 ).
- Architecture. a cylindrical continuation of the shaft of a column above the lower astragal of the capital, as in the Roman Doric and Tuscan orders.
- Also called volcanic neck. Geology. the solidified lava or igneous rock filling a conduit leading either to a vent of an extinct volcano or to a laccolith.
verb (used without object)
- Informal. (of two persons) to embrace, kiss, and caress one another amorously.
verb (used with object)
- Informal. to embrace, kiss, and caress (someone) amorously.
- to strangle or behead.
neck
/ nɛk /
noun
- the part of an organism connecting the head with the rest of the body cervicaljugular
- the part of a garment around or nearest the neck
- something resembling a neck in shape or position
the neck of a bottle
- anatomy a constricted portion of an organ or part, such as the cervix of the uterus
- a narrow or elongated projecting strip of land; a peninsula or isthmus
- a strait or channel
- the part of a violin, cello, etc, that extends from the body to the tuning pegs and supports the fingerboard
- a solid block of lava from the opening of an extinct volcano, exposed after erosion of the surrounding rock
- botany the upper, usually tubular, part of the archegonium of mosses, ferns, etc
- the length of a horse's head and neck taken as an approximate distance by which one horse beats another in a race
to win by a neck
- informal.a short distance, amount, or margin
he is always a neck ahead in new techniques
- informal.impudence; audacity
he had the neck to ask for a rise
- architect the narrow band at the top of the shaft of a column between the necking and the capital, esp as used in the Tuscan order
- another name for beard, on printer's type
- break one's neck informal.to exert oneself greatly, esp by hurrying, in order to do something
- by the neck slang.(of a bottle of beer) served unpoured
give me two bottles of stout by the neck
- get it in the neck informal.to be reprimanded or punished severely
- neck and neckabsolutely level or even in a race or competition
- neck of the woods informal.an area or locality
a quiet neck of the woods
- risk one's neckto take a great risk
- informal.
- to escape from a difficult or dangerous situation
- to help someone else escape from such a situation
- stick one's neck out informal.to risk criticism, ridicule, failure, etc, by speaking one's mind
- up to one's neck indeeply involved in
he's up to his neck in dodgy dealings
verb
- informal.intr to kiss, embrace, or fondle someone or one another passionately
- informal.tr to swallow (something, esp a drink)
he's been necking pints all night
Derived Forms
- ˈnecker, noun
Other Words From
- necker noun
- neckless adjective
- necklike adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of neck1
Word History and Origins
Origin of neck1
Idioms and Phrases
- be up to one's neck, Informal. to have a surfeit; be overburdened:
Right now she's up to her neck in work.
- break one's neck, Informal. to make a great effort:
We broke our necks to get there on time.
- get it in the neck, Slang.
- to suffer punishment or loss:
The trend is to consolidation and small businesses are getting it in the neck.
- to be rejected or dismissed:
The employees got it in the neck when the company moved overseas.
- to be sharply reprimanded or scolded.
- neck and neck, even or very close; indeterminate as to the outcome:
They were coming toward the finish line neck and neck.
- neck of the woods, Informal. neighborhood, area, or vicinity:
Next time you're in this neck of the woods, drop in.
- stick one's neck out, Informal. to expose oneself to danger, disaster, failure, disgrace, etc.; take a risk:
He stuck his neck out by supporting an unpopular candidate.
- win by a neck,
- to win by a small amount or narrow margin.
- Racing. to be first by a head and neck; finish closely.
More idioms and phrases containing neck
- albatross around one's neck
- break one's back (neck)
- breathe down someone's neck
- dead from the neck up
- millstone around one's neck
- pain in the neck
- risk life and limb (one's neck)
- save someone's bacon (neck)
- stick one's neck out
- up to one's ears (neck)
Example Sentences
Symptoms can include headache, muscle aches, fever, confusion, loss of balance, stiff neck and diarrhea.
He had claimed two men targeted him in a hate-crime, yelling racial slurs and putting a noose around his neck while he was walking down the street near his apartment.
Georgi also fractured her hand in the incident and spent 10 weeks in a neck brace as she recovered.
They also knew that these cats had a very thick neck.
In the 2010s, a series of intermediate species called darwinopterans were found that revealed that the head and neck had changed first before the rest of the body.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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