neck

neck
{{11}}neck (n.) O.E. hnecca "neck, nape, back of the neck" (a fairly rare word) from P.Gmc. *khnekkon "the nape of the neck" (Cf. O.Fris. hnekka, M.Du. necke, Du. nek, O.N. hnakkr, O.H.G. hnach, Ger. Nacken "neck"), with no certain cognates outside Germanic, though Klein's sources suggest PIE *knok- "high point, ridge" (Cf. O.Ir. cnocc, Welsh cnwch, O.Bret. cnoch "hill").
The more usual Old English words were hals (the general Germanic word, Cf. Goth., O.N., Dan., Swed., Du., Ger. hals), cognate with L. collum (see COLLAR (Cf. collar)); and swira, probably also from a PIE root meaning "column" (Cf. Skt. svaru- "post").
Transferred senses attested from c.1400. Phrase neck of the woods (American English) is attested from 1780 in the sense of "narrow stretch of woods;" 1839 with meaning "settlement in a wooded region." To stick one's neck out "take a risk" is first recorded 1919, American English. Horses running neck and neck is attested from 1799.
{{12}}neck (v.) "to kiss, embrace, caress," 1825 (implied in necking) in northern England dialect, from NECK (Cf. neck) (n.). Cf. Middle English halsen "to embrace or caress affectionately, to fondle sexually," from hals (n.) "neck." Earlier, neck as a verb meant "to kill by a strike on the neck" (mid-15c.). Related: Necked.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • neck — neck …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • Neck — (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many other… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • neck — [nek] n. [ME nekke < OE hnecca, akin to Ger nacken < IE base * ken , to bend, squeeze > NOOK, NUT] 1. that part of a human or animal joining the head to the body, including the part of the backbone between the skull and the shoulders 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • neck — ► NOUN 1) the part of the body connecting the head to the rest of the body. 2) a narrow connecting or end part, such as the part of a bottle near the mouth. 3) the part of a violin, guitar, or other instrument that bears the fingerboard. 4) the… …   English terms dictionary

  • neck — [ nɛk ] n. m. • 1911; mot angl. « cou » ♦ Géol. Piton de lave provenant d une cheminée de volcan, laissé en relief par l érosion. ● neck nom masculin (anglais neck, cou) Corps volcanique, parfois bréchique, en forme de colonne verticale qui… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Neck — steht für: einen Wassergeist aus der germanischen Mythologie; siehe Wassermann (Mythologie) einen senkrechten Schlot eines Vulkans; siehe Neck (Geologie) Neck.CNS, einen Grafikdesigner aus Düsseldorf; siehe Neck.CNS Neck ist der Familienname von …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • neck — s. n., pl. néckuri Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortografic  NECK s.n. (geol.) Stâlp de lavă solidificată care umple canalul de ascensiune a magmei într un vulcan. [Scris şi nec. / < engl., fr. neck]. Trimis de LauraGellner,… …   Dicționar Român

  • Neck — Neck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Necked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Necking}.] (Mech.) To reduce the diameter of (an object) near its end, by making a groove around it; used with down; as, to neck down a shaft. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • neck — s.m.inv. ES ingl. {{wmetafile0}} TS vulcanol. ammasso roccioso di forma cilindrica o conica, spec. brecciato, con diametro fino ad alcune centinaia di metri, consolidatosi nella parte superiore di un condotto vulcanico che viene successivamente… …   Dizionario italiano

  • Neck — der; s, s <aus gleichbed. engl. neck, eigtl. »Hals«> durch Abtragung freigelegter vulkanischer Schlot (Durchschlagsröhre; Geol.) …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • neck — eck, v. i. To kiss and caress amorously. [Colloq.] n. {necking}. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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