Neck of the woods

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Grammarist

Neck of the woods is an idiom that is primarily used in the United States. We will examine the meaning of the idiom neck of the woods, from where this expression is derived, and some examples of its use in sentences.

Neck of the woods is a phrase that means the area where someone lives or the area where someone grew up. The word neck, in this case, refers to a narrow area of land, woods, or pasture and is an American term dating from the 1700s. Today, the phrase neck of the woods is an idiom that refers to the area where someone lives or where someone grew up, whether it is a city, town, geographic area, neighborhood or culture. The plural form of neck of the woods is necks of the woods.

Examples

As circumstances would have it, I was recently knocking about Valley Center doing some research on a sports camp that was being held up in that neck of the woods. (The Times-Advocate)

Things might warm up in June, but it’s traditionally the rainy season in this neck of the woods. (Flathead Beacon)

In a typical summer season, we experience about 20 days of 90 degrees in this neck of the woods. (The Republic)

Over on the West Coast, Microsoft made an interesting announcement this week, that it’s striking up a “strategic alliance” with Providence St. Joseph Health, a $24 billion health system in its neck of the woods. (Business Insider)

Glunt finds it important to help in the process since the pups came from “our neck of the woods.” (The Tallahassee Democrat)