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NECKLESS

 - 6 dictionary results

neck

[nek]
–noun
1. the part of the body of an animal or human being that connects the head and the trunk.
2. the part of a garment encircling, partly covering, or closest to the neck; neckline.
3. the length of the neck of a horse or other animal as a measure in racing.
4. the slender part near the top of a bottle, vase, or similar object.
5. any narrow, connecting, or projecting part suggesting the neck of an animal.
6. a narrow strip of land, as an isthmus or a cape.
7. a strait.
8. the longer and more slender part of a violin or similar stringed instrument, extending from the body to the head.
9. Building Trades, Machinery. the part on a shank of a bolt next to the head, esp. when it has a special form.
10. Anatomy. a narrowed part of a bone, organ, or the like.
11. Dentistry. the slightly narrowed region of a tooth between the crown and the root.
12. Printing. beard (def. 5).
13. Architecture. a cylindrical continuation of the shaft of a column above the lower astragal of the capital, as in the Roman Doric and Tuscan orders.
14. Also called volcanic neck. Geology. the solidified lava or igneous rock filling a conduit leading either to a vent of an extinct volcano or to a laccolith.
–verb (used without object)
15. Informal. (of two persons) to embrace, kiss, and caress one another amorously.
–verb (used with object)
16. Informal. to embrace, kiss, and caress (someone) amorously.
17. to strangle or behead.
18. be up to one's neck, Informal. to have a surfeit; be overburdened: Right now she's up to her neck in work.
19. break one's neck, Informal. to make a great effort: We broke our necks to get there on time.
20. get it in the neck, Slang.
a. to suffer punishment or loss: The trend is to consolidation and small businesses are getting it in the neck.
b. to be rejected or dismissed: The employees got it in the neck when the company moved overseas.
c. to be sharply reprimanded or scolded.
21. neck and neck, even or very close; indeterminate as to the outcome: They were coming toward the finish line neck and neck.
22. neck of the woods, Informal. neighborhood, area, or vicinity: Next time you're in this neck of the woods, drop in.
23. stick one's neck out, Informal. to expose oneself to danger, disaster, failure, disgrace, etc.; take a risk: He stuck his neck out by supporting an unpopular candidate.
24. win by a neck,
a. to win by a small amount or narrow margin.
b. Racing. to be first by a head and neck; finish closely.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME nekke, OE hnecca, c. D nek nape of neck; akin to G Nacken, ON hnakki nape of neck


necker, noun
neckless, adjective
necklike, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To NECKLESS
neck   (něk)   
n.  
  1. The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders or trunk.

  2. The part of a garment around or near the neck.

  3. Anatomy

    1. A narrow or constricted part of a structure, as of a bone or organ, that joins its parts; a cervix.

    2. The part of a tooth between the crown and the root.

  4. A relatively narrow elongation, projection, or connecting part: a neck of land; the neck of a flask.

  5. Music The narrow part along which the strings of an instrument extend to the pegs.

  6. Printing See beard.

  7. Geology Solidified lava filling the vent of an extinct volcano.

  8. The siphon of a bivalve mollusk, such as a clam.

  9. A narrow margin: won by a neck.

v.   necked, neck·ing, necks

v.   intr. Informal
To kiss and caress amorously.
v.   tr.
To strangle or decapitate (a fowl).

[Middle English nekke, from Old English hnecca.]
neck'less adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
neck

  1. in.
    to cuddle and kiss. (Always in reference to lovers or boy-girl relationships.) : There are some teenagers in the back room, necking.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

neck 
O.E. hnecca "neck, back of the neck" (a fairly rare word) from P.Gmc. *khnekkon "the nape of the neck" (cf. O.Fris. hnekka, M.Du. necke, O.N. hnakkr, O.H.G. hnach, Ger. Nacken "neck"), with no certain cognates outside Gmc., though some suggest PIE *knok- "high point, ridge" (cf. O.Ir. cnocc, Welsh cnwch, O.Bret. cnoch "hill"). The more usual O.E. words were hals (the general Gmc. word, cf. Goth., O.N., Dan., Swed., Du., Ger. hals), cognate with L. collum (see collar); and swira, probably also from a PIE root meaning "column" (cf. Skt. svaru- "post"). The verb meaning "to kiss, embrace, caress" is first recorded 1825 (implied in necking) in northern England dial., from the noun. Neckerchief is 1382, from kerchief (q.v.). Phrase neck of the woods (Amer.Eng.) is attested from 1780 in the sense of "narrow stretch of woods;" 1839 with meaning "settlement in a wooded region." Neckline of a garment is from 1904. To stick one's neck out "take a risk" is first recorded 1926, Amer.Eng. Horses running neck and neck is attested from 1799.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: neck
Pronunciation: 'nek
Function: noun
1 a : the usually narrowed part of an animal that connects the head with the body;specifically : the cervical region of a vertebrate b : the part of a tapeworm immediately behind the scolex from which new proglottids are produced
2 : a relatively narrow part suggestive of a neck: as a : a narrow part of a bone neck of the femur> b : CERVIX 2 c : the part of a tooth between the crown and the root
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

neck (něk)
n.

  1. The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders or trunk.

  2. A narrow or constricted part of a structure, as of a bone or an organ, that joins its parts; a cervix.

  3. The part of a tooth between the crown and the root.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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