Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Dangerously fast.
  • adjective Likely to cause an accident.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A fall that breaks the neck; a dangerous business.
  • noun A steep place endangering the neck.
  • Endangering the neck or life; extremely hazardous: as, he rode at a breakneck pace.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Producing danger of a broken neck.
  • noun A fall that breaks the neck.
  • noun A steep place endangering the neck.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Dangerously fast; hell-for-leather.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective moving at very high speed

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • The desire to pass such a huge plan of enormous financial proportions in breakneck time is both arrogant and dangerous.

    Congresswoman says some senators 'Neanderthals' 2009

  • The Warriors closed to 38-27 after one quarter and 73-64 at halftime as the teams raced up and down the court in breakneck fashion.

    National Basketball Association - Kings vs. Warriors 2002

  • Combining a fascinating world with a population of interesting characters and a pace best described as breakneck, culminating with nail-biting action and a surprising denouement, the first novel in the Clockwork Century grabs your attention and refuses to let go.

    Today In Fantasy: March 2, 2010 Jeff C 2010

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • In a city with a pace that can easily be described as breakneck, I'd never seen anything like it: throngs of smiling people strolling leisurely during such a gray and chilly month, looking around with wonder and discussing the same topic.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

Comments

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  • Ouch.

    September 19, 2007