break one's neck — meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  Generalinformalneutral
  • To make an extreme effort or to hurry intensely in order to accomplish something.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Tom broke his neck trying to finish the project before the deadline, working late every night.

    Tom broke his neck trying to finish the project before the deadline, working late every night.

  • If you don’t break your neck now to prepare for the exams, you might not pass the course.

    If you don’t break your neck now to prepare for the exams, you might not pass the course.

  • We were all breaking our necks to get the event ready on time, even though the weather was against us.

    We were all breaking our necks to get the event ready on time, even though the weather was against us.

• 2.

  Generalneutralliteral
  • To suffer a severe injury to the neck, potentially causing serious harm or death.

  Examples

  Beta

  • The cyclist broke his neck in the crash and was rushed to the hospital immediately.

    The cyclist broke his neck in the crash and was rushed to the hospital immediately.

  • It is said that falling from such a height often results in breaking one’s neck or worse.

    It is said that falling from such a height often results in breaking one’s neck or worse.

  • He was fortunate not to break his neck when the scaffolding collapsed beneath him.

    He was fortunate not to break his neck when the scaffolding collapsed beneath him.

  • The investigation revealed that the victim had broken his neck during the accident.

    The investigation revealed that the victim had broken his neck during the accident.