Meaning & use
neigh
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Meanings
nouncountable
The long, high call that a horse makes.
Grammar: Usually used with an or the: a loud neigh, the neigh of a horse.
Patterns
- the neigh of a horse
- a neigh from something
A loud neigh came from the stable at dawn.
The foal answered its mother with a thin neigh.
We heard a neigh across the field.
verbintransitive
To make the long, high call of a horse.
Grammar: No object: the horse neighed. It can be followed by a place or a reason.
Patterns
- neigh at someone
- neigh with excitement
The mare neighed when she saw the farmer with a bucket.
Horses neigh to call to each other across a field.
The stallion neighed and tossed its mane.
Word forms
| plural | neighs |
|---|---|
| third person singular | neighs |
| past tense | neighed |
| past participle | neighed |
| -ing form | neighing |
Common combinations
- neigh loudly
- The horse neighed loudly when the trailer arrived.
- neigh in excitement
- The pony neighed in excitement at the sight of carrots.
- a soft neigh
- A soft neigh came from the corner of the barn.
- hear a neigh
- We heard a neigh across the valley.
- neigh and whinny
- The horses neighed and whinnied at dusk.
Synonyms and how they differ
- whinny
- Whinny is a gentler, lower sound often used for a friendly greeting, whereas neigh is louder and more general.
- whicker
- Whicker is a soft, quiet noise horses make, quieter than a neigh.
- nicker
- Nicker is a low, soft sound of affection, quite unlike the high neigh.
- bray
- Bray is the harsh sound of a donkey, not a horse.
Word family
Commonly confused: neigh or nay?
neigh vs nay
Nay is an old word for no, and is pronounced the same as neigh but has a different meaning.
Practice
Which animal is most associated with the verb neigh?
Choose one answer.
Horses neigh. Donkeys bray, cows moo and sheep bleat.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “neigh”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.