crick

¹ American  

[krik] / krɪk /

noun

1. a sharp, painful spasm of the muscles, as of the neck or back.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give a crick or wrench to (the neck, back, etc.).

crick ² American  

[krik] / krɪk /

noun

Northern, North Midland, and Western U.S.

1. creek.

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Crick ³ American  

[krik] / krɪk /

noun

1. Francis Harry Compton, 1916–2004, English biophysicist: Nobel Prize in Medicine 1962.

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crick ¹ British  

/ krɪk /

noun

1. a dialect word for creek

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Crick ² British  

/ krɪk /

noun

1. Francis Harry Compton. 1916–2004, English molecular biologist: helped to discover the helical structure of DNA; Nobel prize for physiology or medicine shared with James Watson and Maurice Wilkins 1962

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crick ³ British  

/ krɪk /

noun

1. a painful muscle spasm or cramp, esp in the neck or back

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verb

1. (tr) to cause a crick in (the neck, back, etc)

Crick Scientific  

/ krĭk /

1. British biologist who with James D. Watson identified the structure of DNA in 1953. By analyzing the patterns cast by x-rays striking DNA molecules, they found that DNA has the structure of a double helix, consisting of two spirals linked together at the base, forming ladderlike rungs. For this work they shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine with Maurice Wilkins.

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Etymology

Origin of crick

1400–50; late Middle English crikke, perhaps akin to crick ²

Explanation

If you have a crick, it means there's a cramp or a painful stiffness in your neck. You might wake with a crick in your neck after sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Staring up at the stars might give you a crick in your neck, and so might traveling a long time on a bus or in a car, or any other activity that limits the movement of your head and neck. You might also end a challenging yoga class with a crick in your neck. Experts aren't sure where crick comes from, though it may be onomatopœic, echoing the sound of a creaking joint.

Example Sentences

They may end up with more than a crick in their neck.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

It had been a stunning first half, a six-try epic that gave you a crick in your neck such was the flow from one end to the other.

From BBC • Jul. 26, 2025

Various courts have since let us know that nope, 'twas merely a small crick against the doomsday direction in which we were previously heading.

From Salon • Aug. 6, 2021

I may have a permanent crick in my neck from lugging a substantial dog basket home from outside a mansion in Primrose Hill.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 12, 2018

He reached a large stream, of the kind the locals called a creek and pronounced crick, and decided to follow it.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman