Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Neck

Neck

(nĕk)
,
Noun.
[OE.
necke
, AS.
hnecca
; akin to D.
nek
the nape of the neck, G.
nacken
, OHG.
nacch
,
hnacch
, Icel.
hnakki
, Sw.
nacke
, Dan.
nakke
.]
1.
The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many other animals, is more slender than the trunk.
2.
Any part of an inanimate object corresponding to or resembling the neck of an animal
; as:
(a)
The long slender part of a vessel, as a retort, or of a fruit, as a gourd.
(b)
A long narrow tract of land projecting from the main body, or a narrow tract connecting two larger tracts.
(c)
(Mus.)
That part of a violin, guitar, or similar instrument, which extends from the head to the body, and on which is the finger board or fret board.
3.
(Mech.)
A reduction in size near the end of an object, formed by a groove around it;
as, a
neck
forming the journal of a shaft
.
4.
(Bot.)
the point where the base of the stem of a plant arises from the root.
Neck and crop
,
completely; wholly; altogether; roughly and at once.
[Colloq.]
–
Neck and neck
(Racing)
,
so nearly equal that one cannot be said to be before the other; very close; even; side by side.
–
Neck of a capital
.
(Arch.)
See
Gorgerin
.
–
Neck of a cascabel
(Gun.)
,
the part joining the knob to the base of the breech.
–
Neck of a gun
,
the small part of the piece between the chase and the swell of the muzzle.
–
Neck of a tooth
(Anat.)
,
the constriction between the root and the crown.
–
Neck or nothing
(Fig.)
,
at all risks.
–
Neck verse
.
(a)
The verse formerly read to entitle a party to the benefit of clergy, said to be the first verse of the fifty-first Psalm, “Miserere mei,” etc.
Sir W. Scott.
(b)
Hence,
a verse or saying, the utterance of which decides one’s fate; a shibboleth.


These words, “bread and cheese,” were their
neck verse
or shibboleth to distinguish them; all pronouncing “broad and cause,” being presently put to death.
Fuller.


–
Neck yoke
.
(a)
A bar by which the end of the tongue of a wagon or carriage is suspended from the collars of the harnesses.
(b)
A device with projecting arms for carrying things (as buckets of water or sap) suspended from one's shoulders.
–
On the neck of
,
immediately after; following closely; on the heel of.
“Committing one sin on the neck of another.”
W. Perkins.
–
Stiff neck
,
obstinacy in evil or wrong; inflexible obstinacy; contumacy.
“I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck.”
Deut. xxxi. 27.
–
To break the neck of
,
to destroy the main force of; to break the back of.
“What they presume to borrow from her sage and virtuous rules . . . breaks the neck of their own cause.”
Milton.
–
To harden the neck
,
to grow obstinate; to be more and more perverse and rebellious.
Neh. ix. 17.
–
To tread on the neck of
,
to oppress; to tyrannize over.

Neck

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Necked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Necking
.]
(Mech.)
To reduce the diameter of (an object) near its end, by making a groove around it; – used with
down
;
as, to
neck
down a shaft
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Neck

NECK

,
Noun.
[G. This word is properly the nape or vertebrae of the neck behind, and is so rendered in other languages, L. that is a knob or mass.]
1.
The part of an animals body which is between the head and the trunk, and connects them. In man and many other animals, this part is more slender than the trunk; hence,
2.
A long narrow tract of land projecting from the main body, or a narrow tract connecting two larger tracts; as the neck of land between Boston and Roxbury.
3.
The long slender part of a vessel,, as a retort; or of a plant, as a gourd; or of any instrument, as a guitar.
A stiff neck, in Scripture, denotes obstinacy in sin.
On the neck , immediately after; following closely.
First by committing one sin on the neck of another.
[This phrase is not much used. We more frequently say, on the heels.]
To break the neck of an affair, to hinder, or to do the principal thing to prevent.
To harden the neck, to grow obstinate; to be more and more perverse and rebellious. Nehemiah 9.

Definition 2024

neck

neck

English

Noun

neck ‎(plural necks)

An Australiasian Darter extends her long neck
  1. The part of body connecting the head and the trunk found in humans and some animals.
  2. The corresponding part in some other anatomical contexts.
  3. The part of a shirt, dress etc., which fits a person's neck.
  4. The tapered part of a bottle toward the opening.
  5. (botany) The slender tubelike extension atop an archegonium, through which the sperm swim to reach the egg.
    • 1992, Rudolf M. Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, page 5
      Archegonia are surrounded early in their development by the juvenile perianth, through the slender beak of which the elongated neck of the fertilized archegonium protrudes.
  6. (music) The extension of any stringed instrument on which a fingerboard is mounted
  7. A long narrow tract of land projecting from the main body, or a narrow tract connecting two larger tracts.
  8. (engineering) A reduction in size near the end of an object, formed by a groove around it.
    a neck forming the journal of a shaft
  9. The constriction between the root and crown of a tooth.
  10. (architecture) The gorgerin of a capital.
  11. (firearms) The small part of a gun between the chase and the swell of the muzzle.

Derived terms

Translations

the part of body connecting the head and the trunk found in humans and some animals

See also

Verb

neck ‎(third-person singular simple present necks, present participle necking, simple past and past participle necked)

  1. To hang by the neck; strangle; kill, eliminate
  2. (chiefly US) To make love; to snog; to intently kiss or cuddle.
    Alan and Betty were necking in the back of a car when Betty's dad caught them.
  3. To drink rapidly.
    • 2006, Sarah Johnstone, Tom Masters, London
      In the dim light, punters sit sipping raspberry-flavoured Tokyo martinis, losing the freestyle sushi off their chopsticks or necking Asahi beer.
  4. To decrease in diameter.
    • 2007, John H. Bickford, Introduction to the Design and Behavior of Bolted Joints, page 272
      Since this temperature would place the bolt in its creep range, it will slowly stretch, necking down as it does so. Eventually it will get too thin to support the weight, and the bolt will break.

Derived terms

Synonyms

Translations

Etymology

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 Näkke ‎(“neck”), West Frisian nekke ‎(“neck”), Dutch nek ‎(“neck”), German Low German Nack ‎(“neck”), German Nacken ‎(“nape of the neck”), Danish nakke ‎(“neck”), Swedish nacke ‎(“nape of the neck”), Icelandic hnakki ‎(“neck”), Tocharian A kñuk ‎(“neck, nape”). Possibly a mutated variant of *kneug/k (compare Old English hnocc ‎(“hook, ****”), Welsh cnwch ‎(“joint, knob”), Latvian knaūķis ‎(“dwarf”). More at nook.

A human neck.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɛk/
  • Rhymes: -ɛk

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