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jugular

[ juhg-yuh-ler, joo-gyuh- ]
/ ˈdʒʌg yə lər, ˈdʒu gyə- /
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adjective
Anatomy.
  1. of or relating to the throat or neck.
  2. noting or pertaining to any of certain large veins of the neck, especially one (external jugular vein ) collecting blood from the superficial parts of the head or one (internal jugular vein ) collecting blood from within the skull.
(of a fish) having the pelvic fins at the throat, before the pectoral fins.
noun
Anatomy. a jugular vein.
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Idioms about jugular

    go for the jugular, to attack a vital and vulnerable trait, feature, element, etc., in an attempt to overcome somebody or something swiftly and totally: The defense attorney went right for the jugular by attempting to destroy the witness's credibility.

Origin of jugular

1590–1600; <Late Latin jugulāris, equivalent to Latin jugul(um) throat (see jugulate) + -āris-ar1

OTHER WORDS FROM jugular

in·ter·jug·u·lar, adjectivepost·jug·u·lar, adjectivesub·jug·u·lar, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH jugular

juggler, jugular
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to jugular

gruff, hoarse, deep, gular, guttural, husky

How to use jugular in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for jugular

jugular
/ (ˈdʒʌɡjʊlə) /
adjective
of, relating to, or situated near the throat or neck
of, having, or denoting pelvic fins situated in front of the pectoral finsa jugular fish
noun
short for jugular vein
go for the jugular to make a savage and destructive attack on an enemy's weakest point

Word Origin for jugular

C16: from Late Latin jugulāris, from Latin jugulum throat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with jugular

jugular

see go for, def. 4.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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