neck

noun

1 part of the body

ADJECTIVE

▪ long, short

▪ slender, slim, swan-like (literary)

▪ scraggy (BrE), scrawny, thin

▪ strong, thick

▪ sore, stiff

▪ broken

VERB + NECK

▪ crane, strain

▪

I craned my neck to see what was happening at the front.

▪ break, injure

▪ rub

▪ wring

▪

He killed the chicken quickly by wringing its neck.

▪

When he was late again I wanted to wring his neck.

▪ risk (figurative)

▪

I'm not going to risk my neck playing rugby with you!

▪ save (figurative)

▪

He's out to save his own political neck (= his political career).

NECK + NOUN

▪ muscle

▪ brace, collar, support

▪

She's been wearing a neck brace since her car crash.

▪ injury

▪ ache, pain

PREPOSITION

▪ around your neck, round your neck (esp. BrE)

▪

I keep the key on a string around my neck.

▪ in the neck

▪

The veins in his neck stood out like knotted rope.

PHRASES

▪ the back of the neck, the nape of the neck

▪

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled with fear.

▪ a crick in your neck

▪

I had a crick in my neck from staring up at the sky so long.

▪ the scruff of the neck

▪

The cat picked up her kitten by the scruff of its neck.

2 part of a piece of clothing

ADJECTIVE

▪ high, low

▪ open

▪

He wore a casual shirt with an open neck.

▪ boat (AmE), cowl, crew, halter, round, scoop, V (usually V-neck)

▪

He was wearing a black V-neck sweater.

▪ polo (BrE), roll (usually roll-neck) (esp. BrE), turtle (usually turtleneck) (AmE)