Quick Definition
τράχηλος, ου, ὁ n.m. the neck
Strong's Definition
probably from 5143 (through the idea of mobility); the throat (neck), i.e. (figuratively) life
KJV Usage: neck
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ου | τραχηλίζομαι
8.25 · Body, Body Parts, and Body Products · Parts of the Body
neck τράχηλος also occurs in the NT in certain idiomatic expressions, for example, ‘to fall on the neck of someone’ (LUK 15:20 and ACT 20:37) in the sense of ‘to embrace’ (34.64), and ‘to put down their necks’ (ROM 16:4) meaning ‘to risk their lives’ (21.8). It is rare indeed that one can translate such idioms literally, since ‘to fall on the neck of someone’ may readily suggest a murderous attack, and ‘to risk one’s neck’ may be simply meaningless, since the custom of beheading as a means of execution may be relatively unknown.
MAT 18:6 · MRK 9:42 · LUK 15:20 · LUK 17:2 · ACT 15:10 · ACT 20:37
21.8 · Danger, Risk, Safe, Save · Expose Oneself to Danger
Collocation: τράχηλον ὑποτίθημι
to risk one’s life (an idiom, literally: to put down the neck) willingly and purposely to expose oneself to extreme danger and risk In some instances one can translate this expression in ROM 16:4 as ‘who showed they were willing to die in order that I could live’ or ‘in order to help me continue to live, they almost died.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
τράχηλος, -ου, 6, [allied w. τρέχω ; named from its moyableness; ef. Vanicek p. 8041, fr. Eur. and Arstph. down, Sept. chiefly for Nix, also for ἢ)", ete., the neck: Mt. xviii. 6; Mk. ix. 42; Lk. xv. 20; xvii. 2; Acts xv. 10; Xx. 37; τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τράχηλον ὑποτιθέναι (sc. ὑπὸ τὸν σίδηpov), [A.V. to lay down one’s own neck i. 6.1] to be ready to incur the most imminent peril to life, Ro. xvi. 4.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
τράχηλος trachēlos 7x
the neck, Mt. 18:6; Mk. 9:42; Lk. 15:20; 17:2; ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον, to put a yoke upon the neck of someone, met. to bind to a burdensome observance, Acts 15:10; 20:37; ὑποτιθέναι τὸν τράχηλον, to lay down one’s neck under the axe of the executioner, to imperil one’s life, Rom. 16:4*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
τράχηλος, -ου, ὁ
[in LXX chiefly for צַוַּאר, also forעֹרֶף, etc. ;]
the neck: Mt 18:6, Mk 9:42, Lk 17:2; ἐπιπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν τ., to embrace (Ge 46:29), Lk 15:20, Ac 20:37. Metaph., ὑποθεῖναι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τ. (for similar phrase in π., v. Zorell, s.v.), Ro 16:4; ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τ., Ac 15:10.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
τράχηλος, ““neck’’: cf. P Hal I. 111} (B.c. 238) οὐλὴ τ]ραχήλωι κάτωι (for form see Mayser Gr. i. p. 136), P Tebt 11. 385° (A.D. 117) οὐλὴ τραχήλωι ἐξ Apto[r]e[pav, and P Par 18 625° (Rom.) dispatch of a corpse ἔχων (Δ ἔχον) τάβλαν κατὰ Tov τραχήλου. For Rom 164 οἵτινες ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς pov τὸν ἑαυτῶν τράχηλον ὑπέθηκαν, Deissmann (LA Z?, p. 117 f.) finds an interesting parallel in a Herculaneum papyrus written after B.C. 150 (see Berl. Sztzungsherichte, 1900, p. 951), where it is said of the Epicurean Philonides—trép ?] τοῦ μάλιστ᾽ ἀγαπωμένου τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἢ τῶν φίλων παραβάλοι dv ἑτοίμως τὸν τράχηλον, ‘‘for?] the most beloved of his relatives or friends he would readily stake his neck ”’ (for the thought cf. also Rom 57).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
τράχηλος (trachēlos) — neck. τράχηλος [ᾰ], ὁ, Doric dialect τράχᾱλος [Refs 4th c.BC+]: irregular plural τράχηλα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]:—neck, throat, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; distinguished from αὐχήν by [Refs 5th c.BC+] being, accusative to [Refs], the whole neck and throat, αὐχήν the back part of the neck in human beings, the upper part in animals; this difference is observed in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; but αὐχήν in [LXX+5th c.BC+], NT, and Papyrus τ. is more frequently than αὐχήν); τ. σώματος χωρὶς τεμών [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀποτεμεῖν, ἀποκόψαι, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἐς τ. πεσεῖν break one's neck, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τ. ὠθεῖν τινα thrust head-foremost, [NT+2nd c.AD+]; ἐν βρόχῳ τὸν τ. ἔχων νομοθετεῖ with a halter round his neck, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἔδει σε ἐν τῷ σῷ τ. ἐμπαίζειν at the risk of your own neck, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
2. neck of animals, of the horse, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; the neck as a joint of meat, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; of a fowl, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II. of parts resembling the neck, e. g. upper part of the murex, [Refs 4th c.BC+]the narrow part of the abdomen, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; the neck of the grasshopper, [Refs]
II.2. neck of a vessel, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of a gourd, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of parts of the body, τ. μήτρας [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κύστεως [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.3. middle part of a mast, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]