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breakneck
break·neck
/
ˈbreɪkˌnɛk
/
Show Spelled
[
breyk
-nek
]
Show IPA
adjective
reckless or dangerous, especially because of excessive speed; hazardous:
He raced through the streets at breakneck speed.
Origin:
1555–65;
break
+
neck
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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breakneck
Collins
World English Dictionary
breakneck
(ˈbreɪkˌnɛk)
—
adj
(
prenominal
) (of speed, pace, etc) excessive and dangerous
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
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00:10
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LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
breakneck
1560s, "likely to end in a broken neck," from
break
+
neck
.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
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