neck /nek/► SEE ALLbe up to your neck in sthbe in sth up to your neck break your neck (doing sth/to do sth)by a neckget it in the neckin your, this, etc. neck of the woodsneck and neck (with sb/sth)put/lay your head/neck on the blockbrass neck/nervebreathe down sb’s necka millstone around/round sb’s necka pain in the neckrisk your necksave sb’s/your (own) neck/skin/hideby the scruff of sb’s/the neckstick your neck outwring sb’s neck ●be up to your ˈneck in sth●be in sth up to your ˈneck1.have a lot of sth to deal with忙于；埋头于◆I’ve been up to my neck in job applications for weeks. 几周来我都忙于应付求职的事。2.be deeply involved in sth, especially sth dangerous or criminal深陷于（尤指危险或犯罪行为）◆He says he knows nothing about the drug smuggling, but the police are sure he’s in it (= trouble) up to his neck. 他说自己对毒品走私毫不知情，但警方坚信他深陷其中。● break your ˈneck (doing sth/to do sth) (informal) make a great effort拼命（做某事）◆There’s no need to break your neck trying to get here by five. We can always wait for you. 你不必豁出命要在五点前赶到这里。我们总会等你的。●by a ˈneckif a person or an animal wins a race by a neck, they win it by a short distance（比赛中）以微弱优势（获胜）◆The final was very close, with Molina finally winning by a neck. 决赛双方势均力敌，结果莫利纳以微弱优势获胜。●ˌget it in the ˈneck (BrE, informal) be shouted at or punished because of sth that you have done受到严厉责骂；受重罚◆Look at the time! I really should get back to work, or I’ll get it in the neck. 时间不早了！我真得回去工作了，否则就得挨骂。ORIGINThis refers to the punishment of being killed by hanging or having your head cut off.这个习语原指绞刑或斩首。●in your, this, etc. ˌneck of the ˈwoods (informal) in a particular area or part of the country在那一带；在某地区◆Hi, Jim! What are you doing in this neck of the woods? 嗨，吉姆！你在这儿干吗呢？◆Not much happens in our neck of the woods. It’s very quiet. 我们这儿没发生什么事，很平静。●ˌneck and ˈneck (with sb/sth) ( ˌnip and ˈtuck (with sb)especially NAmE) (in a race, competition, etc.) level with each other（比赛、竞赛等中）势均力敌，不分上下，并驾齐驱◆With another 100 metres to go, Jones and Saville are neck and neck. 赛跑还剩 100 米时，琼斯和萨维尔不相上下。●put/lay your head/neck on the blockrisk defeat, failure, etc.; put yourself in a situation where you might be blamed, criticized, etc.冒失败的危险；将自己置于有可能受到指责（或批评等）的境地◆The government laid its head on the block and said that if it loses this vote in Parliament tonight it will call an election.政府冒风险称，如果在议会今晚的投票中失利的话将要求举行选举。◆I’m prepared to put my neck on the block and promise that the new building will be ready by the end of the year.我愿意拿自己的人头担保新楼将在年底竣工。ORIGINIn the past when people were executed(= killed as a punishment), they had to lay their head on a block so that it could be chopped off.旧时被处死刑的人将头置于 block （木墩）上引颈断头。●ˌbrass ˈneck/ˈnerve (BrE, informal) a combination of confidence and lack of respect厚颜无耻；傲慢无礼◆I didn’t think she would have the brass neck to do that.我以为她不会胆大妄为到敢做那种事。●breathe down sb’s ˈneck (informal) watch sb too closely, and so make them feel uncomfortable紧盯着某人看；看得某人发毛；监视◆I can’t work with people breathing down my neck the whole time.要是旁边总有人紧盯着，我没办法工作。●a millstone around/round sb’s ˈnecksth which limits your freedom or makes you worry难以摆脱的沉重负担；累赘；包袱◆My debts are a millstone round my neck.债务成了我难以摆脱的负担。ORIGINA millstone is a very large heavy flat stone used to crush grain to make flour. This phrase refers to an old form of punishing people by tying a heavy stone around their necks and dropping them into deep water to drown. * millstone 指磨石。这个短语原指旧时的一种刑罚，即将一块重石挂在受刑人的脖子上并将其沉入深水中，使其淹没。●a pain in the ˈneck (BrE alsoa pain in the ˈarse[taboo]/ˈbum/ˈbackside) (NAmE alsoa pain in the ˈass[taboo]/ˈbutt) (informal) a person or thing that you find annoying极讨厌的人（或事物）◆Her new boyfriend is a real pain in the neck — he never stops talking.她的新男友可真讨厌，说起话来总是喋喋不休。●risk your ˈneck (informal) take a big risk by doing sth dangerous, stupid, etc.冒极大的风险◆I’m not going to risk my neck complaining about the boss.我才不会甘冒风险，抱怨老板的不是呢。OPPsave sb’s/your (own) neck/skin/hide●save sb’s/your (own) ˈneck/ˈskin/ˈhide (informal) save sb or yourself from a dangerous or unpleasant situation保住一条命；使某人（或自己）摆脱困境◆Don’t rely on him for help, he’s only interested in saving his own skin.别指望他，他只管保自己的命。OPPrisk your neck●by the scruff of sb’s/the ˈneck(hold sb or an animal) by the back of the neck揪住人（或动物）的颈背◆The barman took her by the scruff of the neck and threw her out.酒吧男招待一把揪住她的脖子，将她扔了出去。●stick your ˈneck out (informal) do or say sth which other people are afraid to do, and as a result attract attention or trouble出头；冒险；做（或说）别人不敢做的事（或说的话）◆Joe stuck his neck out at the meeting; he told the boss that the new sales policy wasn’t working.乔在会上说了别人不敢说的话，他告诉老板新的销售政策行不通。●ˌwring sb’s ˈneck (spoken, informal) used as an expression of anger or as a threat（表示愤怒或威胁）拧断…的脖子，掐死…◆If I find the person who did this, I’ll wring his neck!要是我查出是谁干的，非拧断他脖子不可！NOTE If you wring a bird’s neck, you twist it in order to kill the bird. * wring指拧断鸟的脖子致其死亡。