neck

NEK/nɛk/

20 meanings of neck

1
below the headnouncountable
The part of the body that joins the head to the rest of the body.
Like a bridge that joins the head to the rest of the body.
After sleeping badly, she woke up with a stiff neck.
He wrapped a warm scarf around his neck before going out.
Note
2
clothingnouncountable
The part of a shirt or dress that fits around a person's neck.
Like the round opening at the top of a sweater where your head goes through.
The neck of this sweater feels too tight on me.
She loosened the neck of her shirt in the heat.
3
music instrumentnouncountable
The long part of a guitar or violin where you press the strings.
Like the long handle you slide your hand along to play.
She slid her hand along the neck of the guitar.
His fingers moved quickly up the neck as he played.
Note
4
bottle topnouncountable
The narrow part of a bottle near the top, where it opens.
He gripped the bottle by its neck and poured.
Water dripped down the neck of the jug onto the table.
5
strip of landnouncountable
A narrow strip of land that sticks out or joins two larger areas.
Like a bridge of land joining two bigger pieces of ground.
A thin neck of land joined the island to the shore.
They built the road across a narrow neck between the two lakes.
Similaristhmus

Less common meanings

6
kiss and cuddleverbcolloquialUSintransitive
To kiss and hold someone closely in a romantic way.
Young couples sometimes neck in the back of the movie theater.
They were necking on the couch when her dad walked in.
UsageSay neck with someone.
Similarkiss, smooch, snog, pet, canoodle
Note
7
life at risknounfigurativelycountable
A person's life, especially when it is seen as being at risk.
He risked his neck to pull the child from the river.
She saved his neck by lending him the money he needed.
UsageOften stick your neck out: take a risk.
Similarskin, hide, life
Note
8
nouncountable
A narrow part of something in the body, like the thin part of a bone near its end or of a tooth.
Like the narrow part of a bottle just below its opening.
Doctors found a small fracture in the neck of her thigh bone.
The neck of the bone is a common place for breaks in older people.
9
drink fastverbslangtransitive
To drink something down very quickly in one go.
Like drinking a whole glass of water at once when you are very thirsty.
Don't neck your juice so fast or you'll get a stomachache.
He necked his whole drink before the bus came.
UsagePeople often neck a beer or neck a pint.
Similarchug
Oppositesip
Note
10
thin when stretchedverbintransitive
To get narrower in one spot, like stretched metal thinning before it snaps.
Like a stretched rubber band that gets thin in the middle just before it breaks.
If you pull taffy hard enough, it will neck and then tear apart.
Under a heavy load, the cable started to neck before it failed.
Similarnarrow, thin, constrict
Note
11
nouncountable
A narrow groove cut around an object near its end, making that part thinner.
The bolt has a thin neck where it fits into the clip.
A small groove forms the neck near the end of the pin.
Note
12
plant organnouncountable
The thin tube at the top of a plant's egg organ, which sperm swim through to reach the egg.
Like a narrow straw the sperm swim up to reach the egg waiting at the bottom.
In mosses, sperm swim down the neck to fertilize the egg.
In mosses, sperm swim down the neck to reach the egg at the bottom.
Note
13
columnnouncountable
The narrow band at the top of a column, just below the wider carved part.
Like the narrow part of a bottle just below where it widens out at the top.
The stonemason carved a simple ring around the neck of each column.
Dust had gathered on the narrow neck just below the top of the column.
Similargorgerin
Note
14
gun barrelnouncountable
The thin part of a cannon's barrel just behind the wider mouth at the front.
Like the slim part of a baseball bat just below the thick end.
The gunner ran his hand along the neck of the cannon barrel.
Rust had formed on the neck just behind the muzzle.
Note
15
nounslangvulgaruncountable
A slang word for oral sex performed on a man.
He was hoping for some neck after the date.
She gave her boyfriend neck in the parking lot.
UsageNo a before it: give neck.
Similarhead
Note
16
noun
A column of hardened lava left standing where the vent of a dead volcano has worn away.
17
verbslang
To kill someone by hanging, or to put a stop to something.
18
noundialectalMulticultural London English
A lie, or an untrue thing someone says to fool you.
19
noun
A magical water spirit from old German stories that can change its shape.
20
noun
The last bundle of wheat cut at harvest, used long ago in English celebrations.
The person with 'the neck' stands in the centre, grasping it with both his hands
1837, R. A. R., The Everyday BookHere, neck means the last bundle of wheat cut at harvest.

Practice

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Origin

From Old English hnecca, meaning "neck" or "nape," going back to an old Germanic word.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Neck comes from Old English hnecca. en.wiktionary.org
Hnecca meant neck or nape. en.wiktionary.org
Hnecca goes back to an older Germanic word. en.wiktionary.org