neck (redirected from have the neck)

albatross around/round your neck (literary)

something that you have done or are connected with that keeps causing you problems and stops you from being successful. The company that he founded in 1983 is now an albatross around his neck, making losses of several hundreds of thousands a year.

See also: around, round

be a pain in the neck (informal)

to be very annoying. My little sister won't leave me alone. She's a real pain in the neck.

See also: pain

be dead from the neck up (humorous)

if a person is dead from the neck up, they are very stupid. Her last boyfriend was dead from the neck up.

See also: dead, from

be up to your neck in something

1. to be very busy. Right now I'm up to my neck in work.

2. to be in a difficult or unpleasant situation. He's paid practically nothing and he's up to his neck in debt.

breathe down someone's neck

to pay very close attention to what someone does in a way that annoys or worries them. It's awful having to work with a boss who's breathing down your neck the whole time.

See also: breathe, down

get it in the neck (British & Australian, informal)

to be punished or criticized for something that you have done. It always seems to be the chairman of these football clubs who gets it in the neck when the team does badly.

have the brass (neck) to do something (British, informal, American & Australian, very informal!)

to have the confidence to do something that is rude or shows a lack of respect, without caring whether people approve. How does she have the brass to ask for a day off during our busiest period? He had the brass balls to announce his engagement to Sally in front of his ex-wife.

See also: brass

I'll wring your neck! (informal)

something that you say when you are very angry with someone. I'll wring his neck if he does it again. I could wring his neck, I feel so annoyed with him.

See also: I'll, wring

a millstone around your neck

a problem or responsibility that you have all the time which prevents you from doing what you want. I'd rather not be in debt - I don't want that millstone around my neck.

See also: around

neck and neck

if two people who are competing are neck and neck, they are very close and either of them could win. Recent polls show the Republicans almost neck and neck with the Democratic Party. (often + with)

neck of the woods (informal)

area of the country. I'm surprised to see you in this neck of the woods. What brings you here? There's no scenery like this in your neck of the woods, is there?

See also: Woods

put your head/neck on the block

to risk doing something which will make other people lose their good opinion of you if it fails. He put his head on the block by promising his team wouldn't lose any more matches this year. I'm not going to put my head on the block for you - it could cost me my promotion.

See also: block, head

put your neck on the line

to do something that you know might fail and spoil other people's opinion of you or cause you to lose money. There's a lot of money at stake here and none of the directors wants to put his neck on the line. No one wants to put their neck on the line and predict an outcome.

See also: line

risk your neck

to do something very dangerous. I'm not going to risk my neck climbing over a twenty-foot wall!

See also: risk

save someone's neck

to prevent something bad from happening to someone. You really saved my neck. I'd have been in so much trouble if you'd told him the truth.

See also: save

stick your neck out

to give an opinion which other people may not like or which other people are frightened to give. I'm going to stick my neck out and predict a Republican victory. He's never been afraid of sticking his neck out.

See also: stick

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breathe down your neck

to watch too closely what you do. The supervisor breathes down my neck all the time, trying to make sure I'm working hard enough.

See also: breathe, down

neck and neck

very close or equal. The two companies are neck and neck in the competition to win over customers.

Usage notes: generally used to describe competitors, and often with the verb run: The two candidates are running neck and neck in the opinion polls.

Etymology: based on the meaning in horse racing of horse running neck and neck (= at the same speed with their heads and necks next to each other)

your neck of the woods

the area you come from or where you now live. If you're in our neck of the woods, we hope you'll come see us.

Usage notes: often used in the form this neck of the woods: It was a pretty small farm for this neck of the woods.

See also: Woods

risk your neck

to do something dangerous. We risked our necks to rescue you and all you can say is “Gee whiz”?

See also: risk

stick your neck out

to take a risk. He's shown he's got the courage to stick his neck out to help people.

See also: stick

up to your neck in something

to be completely involved in something. I am up to my neck in assignments and exams at school. She said she knew nothing about the robbery, but I'm sure she's in it up to her neck.