neigh

American  

[ney] / neɪ /

verb (used without object)

1. to utter the cry of a horse; whinny.

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noun

1. the cry of a horse; whinny.

neigh British  

/ neɪ /

noun

1. the high-pitched cry of a horse; whinny

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verb

1. (intr) to make a neigh or a similar noise

2. (tr) to utter with a sound like a neigh

Etymology

Origin of neigh

before 1000; Middle English ney ( gh ) en, Old English hnǣgan, cognate with Middle Dutch neyen, Old Saxon hnēgian, Middle High German nēgen, Old High German hneigen, Old Norse hneggja; akin to Old Saxon hnechian; Middle Dutch nighen, Middle Low German nigen, Middle High German nyhen; and, with intrusion in the initial, Old Norse gneggja, Norwegian kneggja. See nag ²

Example Sentences

By first light there was the shuffling of feet to be heard, and creaking cartwheels and occasionally a neighing horse.

From Literature

Granda had said if you bent your ear to the water on a dark night, you might hear the horses neighing.

From Literature

Before he could move, a high neighing rang out, and down the hill galloped a horse with a horn of pure-bright silver.

From Literature

Children ages 4 to 8 will think they know what’s coming from the placid, old-timey barnyard setting, where the horse says “neigh” and the cow says “moo.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“I hear voices shouting, a sharp crack of the whip, horses neighing in protest, the clatter of hooves, the skid of carriage wheels, the Incorrigibles calling, ‘Lumawoo’—whoops!”

From Literature