I. ˈnek noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English necke, nekke, from Old English hnecca; akin to Old High German hnac nape of the neck, Old Norse hnakki nape of the neck, Old English hnutu nut — more at nut
1.
a.
(1) : the usually constricted part of an animal that connects the head with the body ; specifically : the cervical region of a vertebrate
(2) : the part of a tapeworm immediately behind the scolex from which new proglottides are produced — see echinococcus illustration
(3) : the siphon of a bivalve mollusk (as a clam) — not used technically
b. : the part of a garment that covers or is next to the neck ; especially : neckline
2. : a relatively narrow or constricted part joining two other parts or located at an end and suggestive of a neck: as
a.
(1) : the narrowed part of a bottle running from the body of the bottle to the mouth
(2) : the slender end of a gourd or of some other fruits
b. : the narrow part of the uterus : cervix
c.
(1) : collet 3
(2) : the tapering distal part of an archegonium
(3) : the terminal usually elongated part of a perithecium or pycnidium in some fungi
(4) : the part of the trunk of a tree or of the stem of a shrub that is at the surface of the soil
(5) : the restricted part of the leaf cluster just above the bulb of an onion
d.
(1) : gorgerin
(2) : the narrow part of a column or baluster shaft just below the capital
e. : a part reduced in circumference (as the part forming the journal of a shaft) formed by a groove around and usually near the end of an object
f.
(1) : the slender part of a cascabel between the knob and the fillet
(2) : the part of a cannon immediately behind the swell of the muzzle
(3) : the cylindrical part of a cartridge case that has an inside diameter about equal to the projectile diameter
g. : the part of a stringed musical instrument which extends from the body and to which are attached the fingerboard and the strings
h. : beard 4d
i. : a thread shank for a button
3.
a. : a narrow stretch of land (as an isthmus, cape, promontory, or mountain pass)
b.
(1) : a narrow body of water between two larger bodies : strait
(2) : a narrow current flowing seaward through incoming surf
c. : a mass of solidified massive or fragmental lava or igneous rock that fills or formerly filled a conduit leading upward to a volcanic vent or a laccolith
d. : a narrow vertically elongated ore body
4. : a brick wall that is usually 60 bricks long, 24 to 30 high, and 3 thick placed on each side of an upright or double battering wall to form a clamp
5.
a. : the approximate length of the neck of a horse plus that of the head
won by a neck
b. : a narrow margin of victory
won the election campaign by a neck
6. : wake , trail — used with in, on, upon
this bad news followed on the neck of the letter
•
- in the neck
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to strike sharply (as with the side of the hand) on the neck
b. : behead
c. : to twist or pull the neck of (as a fowl) so as to kill
2. : to reduce the diameter of especially by making a groove around — often used with down or in
neck down a cylinder
necking down a cartridge case
3. chiefly West : to tie (animals) loosely together by means of something (as a rope, thong) fastened about the neck
4. : to hold tightly and fondle and kiss amorously
necking the co-eds on the steps of the lecture hall — Time
intransitive verb
1. : to engage in fondling and kissing
a young couple necking on the park bench
2. : to undergo a constriction or reduction of cross section — used especially of a solid rod subjected to tension beyond the yield value
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
dialect England : the last sheaf of grain cut often with traditional ceremonies at harvest time and sometimes decorated and preserved
IV. noun
: the part of a tooth between the crown and the root