NEIGH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does neigh mean? 

• NEIGH (noun)
  The noun NEIGH has 1 sense:

1. the characteristic sounds made by a horse

  Familiarity information: NEIGH used as a noun is very rare.

• NEIGH (verb)
  The verb NEIGH has 1 sense:

1. make a characteristic sound, of a horse

  Familiarity information: NEIGH used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NEIGH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The characteristic sounds made by a horse

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

neigh; nicker; whicker; whinny

Hypernyms ("neigh" is a kind of...):

cry (the characteristic utterance of an animal)

Derivation:

neigh (make a characteristic sound, of a horse)

• NEIGH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they neigh    ... he / she / it neighs   
Past simple: neighed   
Past participle: neighed   
-ing form: neighing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a characteristic sound, of a horse

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

neigh; nicker; whicker; whinny

Hypernyms (to "neigh" is one way to...):

emit; let loose; let out; utter (express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

neigh (the characteristic sounds made by a horse)

 Context examples 

Whilst he was speaking the horses began to neigh and snort and plunge wildly, so that the driver had to hold them up.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Through the late autumn and the early winter every road and country lane resounded with nakir and trumpet, with the neigh of the war-horse and the clatter of marching men.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He neighed to them several times in a style of authority, and received answers.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Then he neighed three or four times, but in so different a cadence, that I almost began to think he was speaking to himself, in some language of his own.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Suddenly from out the sea of mist came the shrill sound of a neigh, followed by a long blast upon a bugle.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The two creatures stood silent while I spoke, seeming to listen with great attention, and when I had ended, they neighed frequently towards each other, as if they were engaged in serious conversation.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Yet here it was that the will of a great prince had now assembled a gallant army; so that from the Adour to the passes of Navarre the barren valleys and wind-swept wastes were populous with soldiers and loud with the shouting of orders and the neighing of horses.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They admired to hear me answer them in their own tongue, and saw by my complexion I must be a European; but were at a loss to know what I meant by Yahoos and Houyhnhnms; and at the same time fell a-laughing at my strange tone in speaking, which resembled the neighing of a horse.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The leaders sat amongst the box-wood, and took counsel together as to what they should do; while from below there surged up the buzz of voices, the shouting, the neighing of horses, and all the uproar of a great camp.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I could frequently distinguish the word Yahoo, which was repeated by each of them several times: and although it was impossible for me to conjecture what it meant, yet while the two horses were busy in conversation, I endeavoured to practise this word upon my tongue; and as soon as they were silent, I boldly pronounced Yahoo in a loud voice, imitating at the same time, as near as I could, the neighing of a horse; at which they were both visibly surprised; and the gray repeated the same word twice, as if he meant to teach me the right accent; wherein I spoke after him as well as I could, and found myself perceivably to improve every time, though very far from any degree of perfection.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)