📖 N — The English dictionary · page 6

neck — Everyday, meaning 1: The neck is the part of the body that joins the head to the shoulders.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The neck of a bottle or a guitar is its long, thin top part.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The neck of a shirt or jumper is the part that goes around your neck.↗ Example: A giraffe has a very long neck.↗ · My neck is stiff from sleeping badly.↗ · Wrap a scarf around your neck when it is cold.↗ · Hold the bottle by its neck.↗ · The neck of this jumper is too tight.↗ · The two horses were neck and neck at the finish.↗ · Never pull a cord tight around anyone's neck.↗ · Turn your neck slowly to the left and right.↗ · "What is that on your neck?"↗ · And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.↗ (Torah GEN.45.14, JPS 1917)↗ · And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.↗ (Torah GEN.33.4, JPS 1917)↗ · And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck.↗ (Torah GEN.27.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Hast thou clothed his neck with fierceness?↗ (Writings JOB.39.19, JPS 1917)↗ · In his neck abideth strength, and dismay danceth before him.↗ (Writings JOB.41.14, JPS 1917)↗ · Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, thy neck with beads.↗ (Writings SNG.1.10, JPS 1917)↗

neckerchief — Everyday, meaning 1: A neckerchief is a square of cloth worn knotted round the neck, like a small scarf.↗ Example: She tied the neckerchief in a double bow.↗ · Ib asked about the pretty neckerchief.↗

necklace — Everyday, meaning 1: A necklace is a piece of jewellery you wear around your neck, often a chain or a string of beads.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A necklace can be made of shells, pearls, flowers, beads or gold.↗ Example: She makes a necklace with 24 beads.↗ · Each necklace costs 8 dollars.↗ · How many necklaces can she make with 60 beads?↗ · She sold 5 necklaces.↗ · Grandma wears a pearl necklace on special days.↗ · We threaded pasta to make necklaces in art class.↗ · The queen's necklace sparkled with jewels.↗ · Her necklace has a little heart on it.↗ · In her hand she took a gold necklace.↗ · Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my bride; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one bead of thy necklace.↗ (Writings SNG.4.9, JPS 1917)↗

necktie — Everyday, meaning 1: A long narrow piece of cloth worn around the neck under a shirt collar and tied in a knot at the front; a tie.↗ Example: Dad wore a red necktie to the wedding.↗ · My school uniform has a blue necktie.↗ · Grandpa taught me to tie a necktie.↗ · He loosened his necktie after work.↗ · The shop sells neckties with funny patterns.↗ · The detective wore a crumpled necktie.↗

necromancer — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: A person who tries to speak with the dead to learn secrets or the future.↗ Example: or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer.↗ (Torah DEU.18.11, JPS 1917)↗

nectar — Everyday, meaning 1: The sweet liquid inside flowers that bees, butterflies, moths and some birds drink.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A very delicious drink; in Greek myths, the drink of the gods.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A thick fruit juice: «peach nectar».↗ Example: Bees collect nectar from flowers.↗ · Butterflies drink nectar with their long tongues.↗ · Hummingbirds feed on nectar.↗ · Bees turn nectar into honey.↗ · The flowers make nectar to attract insects.↗ · This peach nectar is thick and sweet.↗

nee — Everyday, meaning 1: Née (often written nee) is used before a woman's family name from birth, to show what her surname was before she married: «Mrs Jane Smith, née Brown».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It comes from French, where «née» means «born».↗ Example: Mary Wilson, née Taylor, was my great-grandmother.↗ · The notice read «Ann Kelly (nee O'Brien)».↗ · In our family tree, Nan is listed as Mrs Jones, née Evans.↗ · Née shows the surname someone had when she was born.↗ · The queen's mother was born with another surname, so books write «née» before it.↗

need — Everyday, meaning 1: To need something is to have to have it, because you cannot do well without it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To need to do something is to have to do it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A need is something a person or animal must have, like food, water and a home.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Needn't» means do not have to: «You needn't come».↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (casual) «Need» is often said for «want»: «I need that game!»; «need a hand?» means can I help.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (rude) «Do we need to hear this?», «nobody needs your opinion» are put-downs.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: (euphemism) «Special needs» or «additional needs» is a polite term for a child who needs extra help; «in need» means poor.↗ Everyday, meaning 8: (formal) Exams say «require», «requisite», «necessitate», «the quantity required», «the shortfall» (how much is still needed) and «is obliged to».↗ Example: She needs 9 cups of flour.↗ · He needs 20 dollars but has 12.↗ How many more does she need?↗ · Each cake needs 3 eggs.↗ · Plants need water and sunlight.↗ · You need to finish your homework first.↗ · We collected food for families in need.↗ · There is no need to shout.↗ · we're 4, need 3 each, how many sausages then↗ · Need a hand with them boxes?↗ · I don't need your help, I can count to 20 myself!↗ · A recipe requires 3 eggs per cake.↗ Determine the shortfall, given 7 eggs on hand and 4 cakes to be baked.↗ · You needn't bring anything, we've got heaps.↗ · but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth.↗ (Torah DEU.15.8, JPS 1917)↗ · He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.↗ (Torah GEN.17.13, JPS 1917)↗ · And the servant said unto him: 'Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land; must I needs bring thy son back unto the land from whence thou camest?'↗ (Torah GEN.24.5, JPS 1917)↗ · They are like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers, and speak not; they must needs be borne, because they cannot go.↗ (Prophets JER.10.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king: 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.↗ (Writings DAN.3.16, JPS 1917)↗ · and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tabernacle and all the vessels of it for the service thereof.'↗ (Writings 1CH.23.26, JPS 1917)↗

needest — Early Modern English, meaning 1: Have to; must do or have something.↗ Example: And if thou dost not find trouble in that adventure, thou needest not to seek it during the rest of thy life.”↗ (The Lilac Fairy Book)

needeth — Early Modern English, meaning 1: «needeth» means «needs», a form of «need».↗ e.g. To need something is to have to have it, because you cannot do well without it.↗ Example: And Esau said: 'Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me.'↗ And he said: 'What needeth it? let me find favour in the sight of my lord.'↗ (Torah GEN.33.15, JPS 1917)

needful — Everyday, meaning 1: (old-fashioned, formal) Needed or necessary.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, UK) The needful is what is needed, often money.↗ e.g. Dad will provide the needful.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (Indian English) Do the needful means do what is necessary; many English speakers elsewhere find it old-fashioned.↗ Example: Take only what is needful for the journey.↗ · In the Bible, Jesus told Martha that one thing is needful.↗ · Mum said she'd do the needful and pay for the trip.↗ · Please do the needful and send the form.↗ · Water and food are needful for life.↗ · He packed the needful things in a small bag.↗ · Meanwhile, I will do what is needful here.↗ · And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.↗ (Writings EZR.7.20, JPS 1917)↗

needle — Everyday, meaning 1: A needle is a very thin, sharp piece of metal with a hole (an eye) at one end for thread, used for sewing.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A needle is the very thin hollow part of a syringe that a doctor or nurse uses for injections.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Pine needles are the thin, pointed leaves of pine and other evergreen trees.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A needle is a thin pointer on a dial, like on a compass.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Knitting needles are long sticks for knitting.↗ Example: Grandma sewed my button back on with a needle and thread.↗ · The nurse used a needle to give me my vaccination.↗ · If you find a needle in the park, don't touch it; tell an adult.↗ · Pine needles covered the forest floor.↗ · The compass needle pointed north.↗ · Looking for my earring in the sand is like looking for a needle in a haystack.↗ · My foot has pins and needles from sitting on it.↗ · Can you help me thread this needle?↗ · She took her needle and sang:↗

needless — Everyday, meaning 1: Not necessary, and often causing harm or waste that could have been avoided: «needless suffering».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «Needless to say» means «as you would expect» or «it is obvious that…».↗ Example: It was needless to leave the lights on all night.↗ · Needless to say, we were very hungry after the long walk.↗ · Wearing a helmet prevents needless injuries.↗ · The fight caused needless pain.↗ · He worried needlessly; the test was easy.↗ · Throwing away good food is a needless waste.↗ · It is needless to say what the dragons were like, for nowadays everyone knows, and dragons are not things to joke about.↗

needlework — Everyday, meaning 1: Needlework is sewing, embroidery or other work done with a needle and thread.↗ Example: She spent the afternoon at her needlework.↗ · Her needlework was very fine.↗

needst — Early Modern English, meaning 1: «needst» means «you need», a form of «need».↗ e.g. To need something is to have to have it, because you cannot do well without it.↗ Example: Leave one little sheaf behind; more than that thou needst not leave, but that thou must leave.↗ (Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales) · "She is thine, but therefore needst thou not thank me, but Arthur who hath accomplished this for thee.↗ (Celtic Fairy Tales)

needy — Everyday, meaning 1: Needy people are poor and do not have enough money, food or things they need.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The needy means poor people as a group.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) A needy person wants a lot of attention, help or comfort from others.↗ Example: Our school collected food for needy families.↗ · The church gives warm meals to the needy.↗ · Christians believe they should care for the needy.↗ · Children in needy areas may have no books at home.↗ · My little brother is very needy when he is tired.↗ · The charity helps needy children all over the world.↗ · For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying: 'Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy poor and needy brother, in thy land.'↗ (Torah DEU.15.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates.↗ (Torah DEU.24.14, JPS 1917)↗ · Howbeit there shall be no needy among you — for the LORD will surely bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it — (Torah DEU.15.4, JPS 1917)↗ · For the LORD hearkeneth unto the needy, and despiseth not His prisoners.↗ (Writings PSA.69.34, JPS 1917)↗ · For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.↗ (Writings PSA.109.22, JPS 1917)↗ · He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well.↗ (Prophets JER.22.16, JPS 1917)↗

negate — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To negate something is to cancel it out or make it have no effect.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To negate a statement is to deny it or say it is not true.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (grammar) To negate a sentence is to make it negative, for example by adding «not».↗ Example: Eating junk food can negate the good of exercising.↗ · One rude word can negate a hundred kind ones.↗ · Negate the sentence by adding «not».↗ · The new evidence negated his story.↗ · In maths, negating 7 gives -7.↗ · The rain negated all our watering.↗

negation — Everyday, meaning 1: Saying «no» or «not»; making a sentence mean the opposite by adding a word like not, never or no.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (maths, logic) The opposite of a statement: the negation of «it is raining» is «it is not raining».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal) The complete opposite or cancelling out of something.↗ Example: «I do not like it» is a negation of «I like it».↗ · Add «not» to make a negation.↗ · The negation of «all cats are black» is «not all cats are black».↗ · Double negation, like «I didn't do nothing», is a dialect form.↗ · In maths, the negation of «x is bigger than 5» is «x is not bigger than 5».↗ · Bullying is the negation of kindness.↗