neck
neck
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "neck" is /nɛk/.
nɛk
/n/ - voiced alveolar nasal
/ɛ/ - near-front unrounded vowel
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: neck
Plural Noun: necks
Verb (base form): neck
Verb (third-person singular present): necks
Verb (present participle): necking
Verb (past tense): necked
Verb (past participle): necked
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The part of the body in humans and many animals that connects the head to the torso. It typically contains the cervical vertebrae, the esophagus, and the trachea.
Synonyms: nape, scruff (informal, referring to the back of the neck), cervix (anatomical)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a body part)
Definition 2: A narrow, constricted part of an object, resembling the human or animal neck in shape or function, often connecting two wider parts.
Example: The neck of a bottle, the neck of a violin.
Synonyms: constricted part, narrow part, bottleneck, throat
Antonyms: body, base, opening (depending on context)
Definition 3: A narrow strip of land or water.
Synonyms: isthmus, strait, channel, sound
Antonyms: expanse, broad area
Verb
Definition 1: (Informal) To kiss and caress passionately.
Synonyms: smooch, make out (informal), caress, fondle
Antonyms: ignore, shun, repel
Definition 2: To drink a beverage quickly and continuously, especially from a bottle.
Synonyms: chug (informal), gulp, down, guzzle
Antonyms: sip, savor, nurse
Examples of Use
Books:
"His long, thin neck emerged from the high collar of his coat, giving him the appearance of a perpetually surprised giraffe." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, June 1997)
"She felt a prickle of unease at the back of her neck as he stared intently at her." (Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl, June 2012)
Newspapers:
"The police closed off the narrow neck of the road, diverting traffic away from the accident scene." (The Guardian)
"With their team's season on the neck of a potential playoff berth, fans anxiously awaited the final game." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"To avoid strain on your neck when working at a computer, ensure your monitor is at eye level." (WebMD)
"The article explored the increasing trend of 'tech neck' among smartphone users." (Wired)
"Scientists are investigating the long-term effects of microplastics on the planet's neck of the woods – the oceans." (National Geographic Online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: (Character to another) "You're going to break your neck if you keep climbing that high without a harness!" (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One)
Television Series: "She wore a stunning diamond necklace that accentuated her graceful neck." (Bridgerton, Season 3)
Music (Song Lyric): "And I got your name tattooed on my neck, girl." (Post Malone, "Circles",)
Video Game: (In-game narration) "Beware of the monster's exposed neck – it's its only weak point." (Elden Ring)
Podcast: "They were neck and neck in the polls leading up to the election, making the outcome impossible to predict." (The Daily, The New York Times)
General Public Discourse:
"I have a stiff neck from sleeping in an awkward position." (Common everyday conversation)
"They decided to neck in the car after the prom." (Informal conversation among young adults)
"He's been working his neck off to get this project finished on time." (Colloquial expression, meaning working very hard)
"The coach told them to put their neck on the line for the team." (Figurative expression, meaning taking a risk)
10 Quotes Using Neck
"A good head and an industrious hand are worth more than a necktie and a diploma." (Booker T. Washington)
"The first and great commandment of the Scriptures is, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.' Upon these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets; they are the two hinges upon which the whole moral system of the universe turns; and without a firm reliance on these, all human efforts to improve are vain, and every step we take is only calculated to bring us down by the neck." (William Lloyd Garrison)
"Sometimes it is easier to saw a camel's neck in half than to get through to the other side of an argument." (Unknown, often attributed to Eastern proverbs)
"I always felt that the great high privilege, relief, and comfort of friendship was that one had to explain nothing." (Katherine Mansfield, which often leads to the phrase "a friend in need is a friend indeed" being followed by "and sometimes you need to break your neck to be that friend.")
"A man should never put his neck out too far." (Sun Tzu, The Art of War, a common interpretation of passages about risk)
"He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils: for time is the greatest innovator; and if time of course alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?" (Francis Bacon, often rephrased as "He who will not put his neck on the line for change will suffer from the lack of it.")
"I have been a man of many sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and have drunk to the dregs the bitter cup." (Frederick Douglass, often followed by reflections on the "yoke around his neck" of slavery)
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." (Lao Tzu, sometimes expanded with "but if you just throw him a fish, it might land around his neck.")
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do." (Steve Jobs, often accompanied by the sentiment that "if you don't love it, it will feel like a millstone around your neck.")
"If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." (Isaac Newton, frequently paralleled with the idea that "sometimes you have to crane your neck to see the shoulders of giants.")
Etymology
The word "neck" has a long history, tracing back to the very early days of the English language.
Its journey begins in Old English, before the year 1150. The word then was "hnecca," which meant "neck" or "nape of the neck" (the back of the neck). It wasn't the most common word for "neck" at the time; other words like "hals" (related to our word "collar") were also used.
So, the very first known use and meaning of "neck" was simply referring to that part of an animal's body that connects the head to the body. Over time, as languages evolve, this core meaning expanded to include other things that resemble a neck in shape or function – like the narrow part of a bottle or a strip of land connecting two larger areas. The verb "to neck" (meaning to kiss passionately) is a much newer development, appearing in the 19th century in Northern England dialects, and it comes directly from the noun "neck."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Neck
Neck and neck: Very close in a competition.
A pain in the neck: Something or someone annoying.
To stick your neck out: To take a risk.
To break your neck: To try very hard; also, to fall and injure oneself.
To get something off your neck: To get rid of a burden or responsibility.
To be up to your neck in something: To be deeply involved or overwhelmed.
To breathe down someone's neck: To constantly monitor or pressure someone.
To save your neck: To escape from a dangerous or difficult situation.
To strain your neck: To try very hard to see something.
To have a stiff neck: To have muscle pain in the neck.
To be tied around someone's neck: To be a burden or responsibility for someone.
To be a millstone around one's neck: To be a heavy burden or impediment.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of neck from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
