jugular

[ juhg-yuh-ler, joo-gyuh- ]

/ ˈdʒʌg yə lər, ˈdʒu gyə- /

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See synonyms for jugular on Thesaurus.com

adjective

Anatomy.

of or relating to the throat or neck.
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

Words nearby jugular

jugglery, jughead, juglandaceous, Jugoslav, Jugoslavia, jugular, jugular vein, jugulate, jugum, Jugurtha, jug wine

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

How to use jugular in a sentence

The doctor was cutting my neck open to put a line into my jugular to try to get blood into me fast enough to save me.
The Story Behind ‘The Perfect Storm’|jversteegh|October 27, 2021|Outside Online
The new study went straight for that previously untenable jugular.
Quantum Computing and Reinforcement Learning Are Joining Forces to Make Faster AI|Shelly Fan|March 16, 2021|Singularity Hub
Both have clear strengths, clear weaknesses, and campaigns that are not afraid to go for the jugular.
The Bruce Braley-Joni Ernst Race Is Iowa’s Ugliest Senate Campaign Ever|Ben Jacobs|July 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These early rehearsal scenes see Simmons go for the jugular, verbally undressing his students with rapacious license.
‘Whiplash’ Is Sundance’s Hottest Film, A Music-Themed Drama Starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons|Marlow Stern|January 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The camera turns away before heads are smashed; bloodthirsty baboons snarl but are never seen ripping into a jugular.
Come On, ‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Can Handle More Violence|Sujay Kumar|November 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Or when in the midst of an uncomfortably aggressive tryst, Franklin forced Tara to take a bite out of his jugular.
‘True Blood’ Premiere: Is Sex the Only Reason We’re Still Watching?|Kevin Fallon|June 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Not infrequently, when their encyclopedic lack of knowledge is gently pointed out, they go for the reproductive jugular.
Why Does Everyone Hate Women?|Megan McArdle|October 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Deeper and deeper the crooked teeth dug; and then with a burst of bright blood, they pierced the jugular vein itself.
Wild Folk|Samuel Scoville
Kill by cutting the jugular vein with a sharp pen-knife, just under the sides of the head, and hang them up to bleed.
Soil Culture|J. H. Walden
(ii) If there be thrombosis of the bulb of the jugular vein.
A System of Operative Surgery, Volume IV (of 4)|Various
He would tear Thoreau's jugular out if he had half a chance.
The Courage of Marge O'Doone|James Oliver Curwood
But Professor Huxley has kindly informed me that he has discovered a jugular fish in the Permian deposits.
On the Genesis of Species|St. George Mivart

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.

jugular

Idioms about jugular

Origin of jugular

OTHER WORDS FROM jugular

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH jugular

Words nearby jugular

Words related to jugular

How to use jugular in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for jugular

Word Origin for jugular

Other Idioms and Phrases with jugular