neck and neck
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Very near in merit; very close competitors. A phrase used in horse races, when two or more horses run each other yery closely.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “neck and neck” mean?
Very near in merit; very close competitors. A phrase used in horse races, when two or more horses run each other yery closely.
Is “neck and neck” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.