neck
/nek/ (bre, ipa) · /nek/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnek/ (ame, mw)
neck — noun
- necksingular
- necksplural
1. The section between a person's or animal's head and shoulders that allows the he
The section between a person's or animal's head and shoulders that allows the head to move left and right.
Minho tied a warm scarf around his neck before going outside.
collocation: around [possessive] neck
A giraffe's long neck helps it reach leaves on very tall trees.
Nora felt a sharp pain in her neck after sleeping on the sofa all night.
The doctor gently pressed on both sides of Tariq's neck to check for swelling.
Brooke wore a silver chain around her neck that her grandmother had given her.
文法句型
neck + of + body parts (optional)
常見錯誤
2. The area near the top of a shirt, dress, or sweater that sits on the body below
The area near the top of a shirt, dress, or sweater that sits on the body below the head, including the opening and the fabric bordering it.
Élise chose a dress with a high neck for the formal dinner party.
adjective + neck: high neck / V-neck / round neck
The neck of Paloma's sweater had stretched out after many washes.
Christopher always loosens the top button near his neck after a long day at work.
Indra prefers T-shirts with a round neck rather than a V-neck style.
The shirt smelled of sweat around the collar and the neck area.
文法句型
[possessive] + neck
neck + of + garment
用法筆記
Often combined with an adjective to describe the shape of the opening (e.g. V-neck, round neck, high neck, boat neck). These compound forms can also act as adjectives: a V-neck sweater.
常見錯誤
3. The thin, elongated section of an object, such as the tapering top of a bottle o
The thin, elongated section of an object, such as the tapering top of a bottle or the fretboard section of a string instrument.
Mira carefully poured the oil through the narrow neck of the bottle.
preposition: through the neck of
The guitar's neck had become warped after years of use in humid weather.
Aylin watched the sand trickle slowly through the glass neck of the hourglass.
The wine bottle had a long, thin neck that was easy to hold while pouring.
Dylan pressed his fingers down on the strings along the ukulele's neck.
- opening
a more general term for the top of a container; less specific to the narrow shape
- fretted part
specific to instruments; refers to the section of the neck with frets
文法句型
neck + of + [object]
用法筆記
This sense is most common with bottles ('bottleneck') and string instruments ('guitar neck', 'violin neck'). The word 'bottleneck' is also used metaphorically to mean a point of congestion or delay (e.g. a traffic bottleneck).
常見錯誤
4. The constricted area of an anatomical structure, for instance where a tooth's cr
The constricted area of an anatomical structure, for instance where a tooth's crown meets its root, or the lower narrow section of the uterus (cervix).
The dentist checked the neck of Minh's tooth for decay near the gum line.
compound: neck of the tooth
A fracture in the neck of the femur requires surgery to repair the bone.
Shirin's doctor said the neck of the womb, called the cervix, changes during pregnancy.
The X-ray showed a problem in the neck of the patient's shoulder blade.
- cervix
the Latin-derived medical term, used specifically for the neck of the womb or other organs
- constriction
a general term for a narrowed part; less precise and rarely used in anatomy
文法句型
neck + of + [body part]
用法筆記
Primarily a medical or anatomical term. Most often encountered in phrases like 'neck of the femur' (hip bone), 'neck of the tooth' (where crown meets root), or 'neck of the womb' (cervix). Not used in everyday conversation.
5. A narrow piece of land connecting two larger land areas, or a long narrow strip
A narrow piece of land connecting two larger land areas, or a long narrow strip of land that sticks out into water, such as a peninsula or isthmus.
A narrow neck of land connects the main island to the smaller one.
pattern: neck of land
The old lighthouse stood at the end of a rocky neck stretching into the sea.
Fishermen built their huts along the sandy neck between the lagoon and the ocean.
Hari walked across the narrow neck to reach the beach on the far side.
文法句型
neck + of + land
neck of land
用法筆記
Found mainly in geography texts and travel writing. More commonly replaced by specific terms like 'isthmus' (for a connection between larger land masses) or 'peninsula' (for a strip sticking into water).
6. An edible cut of meat taken from the neck section of livestock such as cows, pig
An edible cut of meat taken from the neck section of livestock such as cows, pigs, or sheep, often cooked for a long time to make it soft.
Minho slow-cooked the lamb neck until the meat fell off the bone.
collocation: lamb neck / beef neck / pork neck
The restaurant's signature dish is braised pork neck with garlic and rosemary.
Amelia bought beef neck from the market to make a rich stew.
Lamb neck is an inexpensive cut that becomes very flavourful when cooked slowly.
- scrag end
a British term for the neck end of a lamb; less common in American English
文法句型
[animal] + neck
neck + of + [animal]
用法筆記
This term is used both as a countable noun ('a lamb neck' meaning one piece) and an uncountable noun ('lamb neck is tasty'). It appears most often on menus and in recipes.
neck — verb
- neckpresent simple I / you / we / they
- necks3rd person singular
- necking-ing form
- neckedpast simple
1. To engage in prolonged romantic kissing and embracing with another person, typic
To engage in prolonged romantic kissing and embracing with another person, typically in an intimate setting.
The teenagers were caught necking in the back row of the cinema.
progressive: be necking — common in continuous form
Christopher and Amira spent the evening necking on the sofa while watching a movie.
In old romance films, couples would neck under the stars on summer nights.
Zuri saw two people necking by the fountain in the park after dark.
The teacher told the students to stop necking in the hallway between classes.
文法句型
neck (with someone)
be necking
用法筆記
This is an informal word that sounds somewhat old-fashioned. It is rarely used in formal writing. The continuous form ('necking') is far more common than the base form. Usually describes young people kissing for a long time.
常見錯誤
2. To drink something very fast, especially an alcoholic drink, often in a single a
To drink something very fast, especially an alcoholic drink, often in a single attempt.
Marco necked his beer in one go before heading up to the stage.
pattern: neck + [drink] + in one go
The students necked their drinks quickly before the teacher returned to the room.
Vinícius necked a glass of water after running ten kilometres in the midday heat.
At the party, some guests were necking shots of tequila at the bar.
Felipe necked his coffee and ran out the door to catch the train.
文法句型
neck + [drink]
用法筆記
Chiefly British informal. Used for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, though more common with alcohol. Equivalent to American English 'chug' or 'down'.