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1[countable] the part of the body between the head and the shoulders He tied a scarf around his neck. I woke up with a stiff neck. Giraffes have very long necks. She craned (= stretched) her neck to get a better view. He broke his neck in the fall. Somebody's going to break their neck (= injure themselves) on these steps. Topic CollocationsPhysical AppearanceA person may be described as having:eyes
- (bright) blue/green/(dark/light) brown/hazel eyes
- deep-set/sunken/bulging/protruding eyes
- small/beady/sparkling/twinkling/shifty eyes
- piercing/penetrating/steely eyes
- bloodshot/watery/puffy eyes
- bushy/thick/dark/raised/arched eyebrows
- long/dark/thick/curly/false eyelashes/lashes
- a flat/bulbous/pointed/sharp/snub nose
- a straight/a pointy/a Roman/an aquiline nose
- full/thick/thin/pouty lips
- dry/chapped/cracked lips
- flushed/rosy/red/ruddy/pale cheeks
- soft/chubby/sunken cheeks
- white/perfect/crooked/protruding teeth
- a large/high/broad/wide forehead
- a strong/weak/pointed/double chin
- a long/full/bushy/wispy beard
- a full/thin goatee
- a long/thin/bushy/droopy/handlebar/pencil mustache
- pale/fair/olive/dark/tanned skin
- dry/oily/smooth/rough/leathery/wrinkled skin
- a dark/pale/light/sallow/ruddy/olive/swarthy/clear complexion
- deep/fine/small/facial wrinkles
- blonde/blond/fair/(light/dark) brown/(jet-)black/auburn/red/ginger/gray hair
- straight/curly/wavy/frizzy/spiky hair
- thick/thin/fine/bushy/thinning hair
- dyed/bleached/soft/silky/dry/greasy/shiny hair
- long/short/shoulder-length/cropped hair
- a bald/balding/shaved head
- a receding hairline
- a bald patch/spot
- a side/center part
- a long/short/thick/slender/ (disapproving) scrawny neck
- broad/narrow/sloping/rounded/hunched shoulders
- a bare/broad/muscular/small/large chest
- a flat/round/swollen/bulging stomach
- a small/tiny/narrow/slim/slender/28-inch waist
- big/wide/narrow/slim hips
- a straight/bent/arched/broad/hairy back
- thin/slender/muscular arms
- big/large/small/manicured/calloused/gloved hands
- long/short/fat/slender/delicate/bony fingers
- long/muscular/hairy/shapely/ (informal) (often disapproving) skinny/spindly legs
- muscular/chubby/ (informal) (disapproving) flabby thighs/calves
- big/little/small/dainty/wide/narrow/bare feet
- a good/slim/slender/hourglass figure
- be of slim/medium/average/large/athletic/stocky build
- 2[countable] the part of a piece of clothing that fits around the neck What neck size do you take? see crew neck, V-neck
- 3-necked (in adjectives) having the type of neck mentioned a round-necked sweater see open-necked, stiff-necked
- 4[countable] neck (of something) a long, narrow part of something the neck of a bottle a neck of land
- 5[uncountable] the neck of an animal, cooked and eaten lamb neck see bottleneck, redneck, roughneck Idioms
to have a lot of something to deal with We're up to our neck in debt. He's in it (= trouble) up to his neck.
to watch closely what someone is doing in a way that makes them feel anxious and/or annoyed I can't get any work done with you breathing down my neck.
if a person or an animal wins a race by a neck, they win it by a short distance
roughly holding the back of an animal's or person's neck She grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and threw him out.
a difficult problem or responsibility that it seems impossible to solve or get rid of My debts are a millstone around my neck. Unemployment was an economic millstone around the country's neck.
level with someone in a race or competition The bikers were neck and neck as they approached the final lap.
a particular place or area He's from your neck of the woods (= the area where you live). What are you doing in this neck of the woods?
a person or thing that is very annoying
to risk losing your job, damaging your reputation, etc. by doing or saying something It's not a matter that I'm prepared to put my head on the block for.
to risk being killed or injured in order to do something She risked life and limb to save her children from the fire.
to rescue someone from a very difficult situation
to try to avoid death, punishment, etc., especially by leaving others in an extremely difficult situation To save his own skin, he lied and blamed the accident on his friend.
to do or say something when there is a risk that you may be wrong I'll stick my neck out and say that Bill is definitely the best candidate for the job.
when you say that you will wring someone's neck, you mean that you are very angry or annoyed with them
Check pronunciation: neck