neck
936
being necessary or unavoidable; need: Is there any necessity
for another election? | We won't buy a car until the necessity
arises. (=until we really need one) | We're faced with the
necessity of buying (=we have to buy) a new car. | [+to-v]
There is no necessity to buy tickets in advance. | I walked home
of/by necessity, because there was no bus. 2 [C] something
that is necessary: Food and clothing are the bare necessities
of life. (=the very least that people need) → compare
LUXURY; see NECESSARIES (USAGE) 3 [U] fml the condition of
being in urgent need of money or food: He was forced by
necessity to steal a loaf of bread. 4 necessity is the mother
of invention saying if people really need something they will
find a way to get it or do it → see also make a virtue of
necessity (VIRTUE)
neck¹ /nek/ n 1 [C] the part of the body by which the head
is joined to the shoulders → see picture at HEAD 2 [C] the
part of a garment that goes round the human neck: the neck
of a shirt 3 [U] the neck of an animal, used as food: neck of
lamb 4 [C] a narrow part that sticks out from a broader part:
the neck of a bottle/of a violin | a neck of land coming out
from the coast 5 by a neck infml (to win or lose a race) by a
very short distance from another: Our horse won by a
neck. 6 BrE get it in the neck infml to be severely punished:
You'll get it in the neck if you wreck your father's car! 7 neck
and neck infml (of two horses, people etc in a race or
competition) equal so far; with an equal chance of winning:
The two parties are neck and neck in the opinion
polls. 8 neck of the woods infml an area or part of the
country: What are you doing in this neck of the woods? 9 up
to one's neck in infml in or deeply concerned with (especially
a difficult situation): I'm up to my neck in debt. (=I owe a lot
of money) | up to his neck in trouble as usual 10 -necked
/nekt/ also -neck (of a piece of clothing) having a certain
shape or style of neck: a V-necked dress | an open-necked shirt
(=unbuttoned at the neck) → see also pain in the neck
(PAIN¹), risk one's neck (RISK²), save one's neck (SAVE¹),
stick one's neck out (STICK OUT)
neck² v [I] infml to kiss, CARESS etc, but without having full
sexual relations: a boy and girl necking in the back of a car
neck·band /'nekbænd/ n a narrow piece which fits around
the neck of a garment
neck·er·chief /'nekəʧi:f-ər-/ n pl. -chiefs or -chieves
/ʧi:vz/ a square of cloth which is folded and worn around
the neck
neck·lace /'nek-lās/ n a decorative chain, or string of jewels,
shells, BEADS etc, worn around the neck
'necklace ,killing n a form of killing in which a tyre is
placed around the VICTIM's neck and set on fire. It has been
used in South Africa especially for people who are thought
to be disloyal to a particular group.
neck·let /'nek-lɪt/ n a short necklace
neck·line /'nek-laɪn/ n the line made by the neck opening
of a woman's garment: a dress with a low/plunging neck-
line (=leaving part of the chest uncovered)
neck·tie /'nektɑː/ n especially AmE for TIE
nec·ro·man·cy /'nekrəmænsi/ n [U] lit 1 the practice which
claims to learn about the future by talking with the
dead 2 magic, especially evil magic —mancer n
nec·ro·phil·i·a /,nekrəʊ'fliə, -krə-/ also
ne·croph·i·lis·m /nɪ'krɒfɪlɪzəm||-'krɑː-/ n [U] tech sexual
interest in dead bodies
nec·ro·phil·i·ac /,nekrəʊ'fliæk, -krə-/ n tech a person who
suffers from necrophilia
ne·crop·o·lis /nə'krɒpɒlɪs||-'krɑː-/ n lit a large CEMETERY
(=burial ground) especially that of an ancient city
nec·tar /'nektə/ n [U] 1 the sweet liquid collected by bees
from flowers 2 in CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY the drink of the
gods → compare AMBROSIA 3 a sweet and pleasant drink:
(fig.) to taste the nectar of success (=enjoy one's suc-
cess) 4 thick juice made from certain fruits: peach/guava/
apricot nectar
Nectar trademark a system run by Sainsbury's, Debenhams, BP,
and several other British shops, in which you earn points
when you spend money in those shops and show that you
have a Nectar card. The points allow you to have free meals,
free entry into amusement parks, free plane tickets etc, and
the more points you have, the more valuable the free things
you are allowed to have.
nec·ta·rine /'nektəri:n/ n (a tree that produces) a variety of
PEACH which has a smooth skin
Ned·dy /'nedi/ BrE old-fash a name for a DONKEY, used espe-
cially in children's stories
née /neɪ/ adv (used after a married woman's name and before
her original family name) formerly named; born with the
name: Mrs Robert Cook née Carol Williams | Mrs Carol Cook
née Williams
need¹ /ni:d/ n 1 [S;U(of, for)] the condition in which some-
thing necessary, desirable, or very useful is missing, wanted:
There's a growing need for new housing in this area. | The
doctor says I am in need of a holiday. | This accident shows the
need for stricter safety regulations. | We take money from the
bank as the need arises. (=whenever it is neces-
sary) 2 [S;U+to-v] (a) necessary duty; what must be done;
OBLIGATION: There's no need (for you) to come if you don't
want to. | (fig.) There's no need to be so rude! (=you shouldn't
be) 3 [C usually pl.] fml something one wants or must have:
The hotel staff will supply all your needs/your every
need. 4 [U] fml or euph the state of not having enough food or
money: We are collecting money for families in need. 5 if
need be if it is necessary: I'll work all night if need be. → see
also NEEDS, a friend in need (FRIEND)
need² v [T not usually in progressive forms] to have a need for; want
for some useful purpose; REQUIRE: Children need milk. | This
soup needs more salt. | She likes to feel needed. | You need a lot
of patience to do this work. | I badly need a holiday. (=need
one very much) | You can borrow my typewriter – I won't be
needing it today. | [+v-ing/to-v] My coat needs mending/needs
to be mended. | You didn't need to tell him; it just upset him. |
[+obj+to-v/v-ed/v-ing] I need you to help me. | I need my coat
mended/mending. | (fig.) What children need (=should have) is
a bit of discipline!
need³ v negative short form needn't [modal+87; not in progressive forms;
usually in questions or negatives] to have to: 'Need we go so soon?'
'No, we needn't.' (compare 'Yes, we must.') | You needn't talk so
loud. (=you shouldn't) | Do you think I need to go to the
meeting? | You needn't have told him the news; he knew it
already. | I need hardly tell you (=I am sure you already know)
that we are very disappointed with your work. | 'Was he late
for the meeting again?' 'Need you ask!' (=it is unnecessary to
ask, because he is always late)
1 In questions you can say either Need he study?
or Does he need to study? and in negative statements
you can say either He needn't study or He doesn't need
to study. In statements need is followed only by to-v: He
needs to study. 2 Compare I needn't have put on my
thick coat. (=but I did) and I didn't need to put on my
thick coat. (=so I didn't or but I did) 3 All the remarks
above describe the modal use of need in British English.
In American English it is much less common as a modal,
especially in speech, where have to is used instead; thus
Does he have/need to study? is common, but not Need
he study? / He needn't study. The modal forms, though
not widely used, are of course easily understood. → see
also MUST (USAGE), OUGHT (USAGE)
need·ful, the /'ni:dfl/ n 1 BrE infml whatever is necessary:
The baby's crying; I'd better go and do the needful. 2 BrE
humor money: We're rather short of the needful this week.
—ly adv
nee·dle¹ /'ni:dl/ n 1 [C] a long pointed metal pin with a
hole in one end through which a piece of thread is passed,
used in sewing: to thread a needle | a darning needle 2 [C] a
thin pointed object that looks like this: a pine needle (=a thin
leaf of this tree) 3 [C] a thin pointed rod used in knitting
(KNIT): a knitting needle | a pair of size eight needles 4 [C] a
very small pointed jewel or piece of metal used in a RECORD
PLAYER to pick up sound from records; STYLUS 5 [C] a very
thin hollow pointed tube, at the end of a HYPODERMIC, which
is pushed into someone's skin to put a liquid (especially
medicine) into the body or take out blood: (fig.) He's back on
the needle. (=he is taking ADDICTIVE drugs again) 6 [C] a long
thin moving pointer in a scientific instrument: the needle of
a compass 7 [U] BrE strong dislike or bad feeling between