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neck and neck

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia 0.06 sec.
neck and neck
Fig. exactly even, especially in a race or a contest. John and Tom finished the race neck and neck. Mary and Ann were neck and neck in the spelling contest. Their scores were tied.
See also: and, neck

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

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)
See also: and, neck


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? References in classic literature
Half-way down, it was kind of neck and neck, and anybody's race and nobody's.
We kept on neck and neck almost to the finish, when I won the race by going personally to give notice in the forenoon; whereas Hermann, who was very slow in making up his mind to go ashore, did not get to the agents' office till late in the day.
As he spoke he laid his whip about his horses' shoulders and called to the Trojans throughout their ranks; the Trojans shouted with a cry that rent the air, and kept their horses neck and neck with his own.
 
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