neigh

From Middle English neighen, from Old English hnǣġan, from Proto-Germanic *hnaijan, from Proto-Germanic *hnajjaną (“to neigh”). Cognate with dialectal Dutch neien, Middle Low German neigen, Swedish gnägga, Icelandic hneggja.

• enPR: nā, IPA^(key): /neɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ
• Homophones: nay, nee, Neagh

• Audio (US):

  (file)

neigh (plural neighs)

1. The cry of a horse.

   Synonym: neighing

   Hyponyms: nicker, whinny

neigh (third-person singular simple present neighs, present participle neighing, simple past and past participle neighed)

1. (of a horse) To make its cry.

   Hyponyms: nicker, whinny

   • 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 33:

     "I went into the stable first to see to the horse, and found him neighing and waiting for his hay, so I went up into the hay-loft for an armful[.]"

2. To make a sound similar to a horse's cry.
3. (obsolete) To scoff or sneer.
   • c. 1614, John Fletcher, “Wit Without Money, a Comedy”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i:

     Yes, yes, 'tis he. I will assure you Uncle, the very he, the he your Wisdom plaid withal, I thank you for't, neighed at his Nakedness, and made his Cold and Poverty your Pastime; […]

• Hinge, ehing, hinge