neck-verse

neck-verse
\\ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷\ noun
Etymology: Middle English neke verse; from the possibility of its saving the accused person's neck
: a verse usually consisting of the first lines of a Latin version of the 51st psalm formerly set before an accused person claiming benefit of clergy so that the person might vindicate his claim by an intelligent reading aloud of the verse before examiners

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Neck verse — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • neck verse — neck verse, a Latin verse printed in black letter, usually Psalm 51:1, formerly set before an accused person claiming benefit of clergy, in order to test his ability to read; if he could read it, he was released, thus saving his neck …   Useful english dictionary

  • neck-verse — The Latin sentence, Miserere mei, Deus, was so called, because the reading of it was made a test for those who claimed benefit of clergy …   Black's law dictionary

  • neck-verse — The Latin sentence, Miserere mei, Deus, was so called, because the reading of it was made a test for those who claimed benefit of clergy …   Black's law dictionary

  • neck verse — A sentence in Latin required to be read by a convicted person in determining his right to the benefit of clergy …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Neck — (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many other… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Neck and crop — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Neck and neck — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Neck of a capital — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Neck of a cascabel — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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