Neck definition
A neck of land; the neck of a flask.
Won by a neck.
- A narrow strip of land.
- The narrowest part of an organ.The neck of the uterus, the neck of a tooth.
- The narrowest or tapering part of a bottle, vase, etc.
- A strait or channel.
A neck forming the journal of a shaft.
The neck of a violin, the neck of a goblet.
- So close that the lead between competitors is virtually indeterminable.
- Deeply involved or occupied fully:I'm up to my neck in paperwork.
- to try very hard
- to be severely reprimanded or punished
- completely; entirely
- even or nearly even during the course of a race or competitionThe candidates are neck and neck in the polls.
- a region or localityNot from this neck of the woods.
- to put one's life, career, reputation, etc. in danger
- to expose oneself to possible failure, ridicule, loss, etc. by taking a chance
- to win (or lose) by the length of a horse's head and neck
- to win (or lose) any contest by a narrow margin
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
Origin of neck
- Middle English nekke from Old English hnecca
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English nekke, nakke, from Old English hnecca, *hnæcca (“neck, nape"), from Proto-Germanic *hnakkô (“nape, neck"), from Proto-Indo-European *knog-, *kneg- (“back of the head, nape, neck"). Cognate with Scots nek (“neck"), North Frisian neek, neeke, Nak (“neck"), Saterland Frisian Näcke (“neck"), West Frisian nekke (“neck"), Dutch nek (“neck"), Low German Nakke (“neck"), German Nacken (“nape of the neck"), Danish nakke (“neck"), Swedish nacke (“neck"), Icelandic hnakki (“neck"), Tocharian A kñuk (“neck, nape"). Possibly a mutated variant of *kneug/k (cf. Old English hnocc 'hook, penis', Welsh cnwch 'joint, knob', Latvian knaūķis 'dwarf', Ancient Greek knychóō 'to draw together'). More at nook.
From Wiktionary