NECK

neck [countable]1

part of the body

 the part of your body that joins your head to your shoulders, or the same part of an animal or birdaround somebody's neckJean wore a string of pearls around her neck.
Mike rubbed the back of his neck.
You have a lot of tension in your neck muscles.
He patted his horse's neck.
She had a mass of golden hair , which she wore in a coil at the nape(=back) of her neck.The dog picked up the puppy and carried it by the scruff (=back) ofthe neck into the house.2

clothing

 the part of a piece of clothing that goes around your neckneck ofThe neck of his shirt was open.
The sweater has a round neck and long sleeves.
V-necked/open-necked etca navy V-necked sweater
➔ crew neck, polo neck, scoop neck, turtleneck, V-neck3

narrow part

 the narrow part of something, usually at the topneck ofLara put the cork back in the neck of the bottle.
a crack in the neck of the violin
4

be up to your neck in something

a) to be very busy with something:
She's up to her neck in work.
b) to be in a difficult situation that is hard to escape from:
Jim's up to his neck in debt.
5

neck and neck (with somebody)

informal if two competitors or groups are neck and neck in a competition or race, they are level with each other:
Opinion polls show the two main parties are running neck and neck.
6

in this/somebody's neck of the woods

informal in a particular area or part of the country:
I haven't been in this neck of the woods for years.
7

get it in the neck

British English spoken to be punished or criticized:
If we don't make some changes we'll all get it in the neck.
8

by a neck

informal if a race, especially a horse race, is won by a neck, the winner is only a very short distance in front:
Our horse won by a neck.
9

land

 a narrow piece of land that comes out of a wider part:
a neck of land between a lake and the sea
10

(hang) around your neck

 if something hangs around your neck, it keeps causing you problems

➔ be breathing down somebody's neck

at breathe (5)

; ➔ I'll wring somebody's neck

at wring(6)

; ➔ pain in the neck

at pain1 (3)

; ➔ risk your neck

atrisk2 (1)

; ➔ save somebody's neck

at save1 (11)

; ➔ stick your neck out

at stick out (3)

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.