neck and neck

neck  (nk)

n.

1. The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders or trunk.

2. The part of a garment around or near the neck.

3. Anatomy

a. A narrow or constricted part of a structure, as of a bone or organ, that joins its parts; a cervix.

b. The part of a tooth between the crown and the root.

4. A relatively narrow elongation, projection, or connecting part: a neck of land; the neck of a flask.

5. Music The narrow part along which the strings of an instrument extend to the pegs.

6. Printing See beard.

7. Geology Solidified lava filling the vent of an extinct volcano.

8. The siphon of a bivalve mollusk, such as a clam.

9. A narrow margin: won by a neck.

v. necked, neck·ing, necks

v.intr. Informal

To kiss and caress amorously.

v.tr.

To strangle or decapitate (a fowl).

Idioms:

neck and neck

So close that the lead between competitors is virtually indeterminable.

up to (one's) neck

Deeply involved or occupied fully: I'm up to my neck in paperwork.

---

[Middle English nekke, from Old English hnecca.]

---

neckless adj.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	neck and neck - inconclusive as to outcome; close or just even in a race or comparison or competition; "as they approached the finish line they were neck and neck"; "the election was a nip and tuck affair" nip and tuck, head-to-head inconclusive - not conclusive; not putting an end to doubt or question; "an inconclusive reply"; "inconclusive evidence"; "the inconclusive committee vote"
Adv.	1.	neck and neck - even or close in a race or competition or comparison; "the horses ran neck and neck"; "he won nip and tuck" head-to-head, nip and tuck