neck

American  

[nek] / nɛk /

noun

1. the part of the body of an animal or human being that connects the head and the trunk.

2. the part of a garment encircling, partly covering, or closest to the neck; neckline.

3. the length of the neck of a horse or other animal as a measure in racing.

4. the slender part near the top of a bottle, vase, or similar object.

5. any narrow, connecting, or projecting part suggesting the neck of an animal.

6. a narrow strip of land, as an isthmus or a cape.

7. a strait.

8. the longer and more slender part of a violin or similar stringed instrument, extending from the body to the head.

9. Building Trades, Machinery. the part on a shank of a bolt next to the head, especially when it has a special form.

10. Anatomy. a narrowed part of a bone, organ, or the like.

11. Dentistry. the slightly narrowed region of a tooth between the crown and the root.

12. Printing. beard.

13. 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.

14. 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.

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verb (used without object)

1. Informal. (of two persons) to embrace, kiss, and caress one another amorously.

verb (used with object)

1. Informal. to embrace, kiss, and caress (someone) amorously.

2. to strangle or behead.

idioms

1. get it in the neck,

   1. to suffer punishment or loss.

      The trend is to consolidation and small businesses are getting it in the neck.

   2. to be rejected or dismissed.

      The employees got it in the neck when the company moved overseas.

   3. to be sharply reprimanded or scolded.

2. neck of the woods, neighborhood, area, or vicinity.

   Next time you're in this neck of the woods, drop in.

3. stick one's neck out, to expose oneself to danger, disaster, failure, disgrace, etc.; take a risk.

   He stuck his neck out by supporting an unpopular candidate.

4. neck and neck, even or very close; indeterminate as to the outcome.

   They were coming toward the finish line neck and neck.

5. win by a neck,

   1. to win by a small amount or narrow margin.

   2. Racing. to be first by a head and neck; finish closely.

6. be up to one's neck, to have a surfeit; be overburdened.

   Right now she's up to her neck in work.

7. break one's neck, to make a great effort.

   We broke our necks to get there on time.

neck British  

/ nɛk /

noun

1. the part of an organism connecting the head with the rest of the body

2. the part of a garment around or nearest the neck

3. something resembling a neck in shape or position

   the neck of a bottle

4. anatomy a constricted portion of an organ or part, such as the cervix of the uterus

5. a narrow or elongated projecting strip of land; a peninsula or isthmus

6. a strait or channel

7. the part of a violin, cello, etc, that extends from the body to the tuning pegs and supports the fingerboard

8. a solid block of lava from the opening of an extinct volcano, exposed after erosion of the surrounding rock

9. botany the upper, usually tubular, part of the archegonium of mosses, ferns, etc

10. 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

11. informal a short distance, amount, or margin

    he is always a neck ahead in new techniques

12. informal impudence; audacity

    he had the neck to ask for a rise

13. 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

14. another name for beard, on printer's type

15. informal to exert oneself greatly, esp by hurrying, in order to do something

16. slang (of a bottle of beer) served unpoured

    give me two bottles of stout by the neck

17. informal to be reprimanded or punished severely

18. absolutely level or even in a race or competition

19. informal an area or locality

    a quiet neck of the woods

20. to take a great risk

21. informal

    1. to escape from a difficult or dangerous situation

    2. to help someone else escape from such a situation

22. informal to risk criticism, ridicule, failure, etc, by speaking one's mind

23. deeply involved in

    he's up to his neck in dodgy dealings

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verb

1. informal (intr) to kiss, embrace, or fondle someone or one another passionately

2. informal (tr) to swallow (something, esp a drink)

   he's been necking pints all night

neck More Idioms  

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)

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Other Word Forms

• necker noun
• neckless adjective
• necklike adjective

Etymology

Origin of neck

before 900; Middle English nekke, Old English hnecca, cognate with Dutch nek nape of neck; akin to German Nacken, Old Norse hnakki nape of neck

Example Sentences

But whenever I’m far enough away from the glow of streetlights, I crane my neck up and search for them.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, black-and-white tattoo roses cascade down her neck and arms, Carolina roses with delicate petals.

From Literature

“Yeah,” says Jonah, stretching his neck out to talk to me around Dad.

From Literature

A collar of bones encircled her short neck, some poor dead animal’s rib cage fanning up and around her head.

From Literature

In “Back to the Future,” Tolkan portrayed Vice Principal Gerald Strickland, who surveyed the school’s halls with a whistle around his neck and a tardy slip burning a hole in his pocket.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• collar