paxwax

[paks-waks]

noun British Dialect.

the neck ligament; nuchal ligament.

Origin of paxwax

1400–50; late Middle English, alteration of Middle English fax wax literally, hair growth (compare Old English feax hair, weaxan to grow; see wax²); compare German Haarwachs sinew, literally, hair growth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for paxwax

Historical Examples of paxwax

Whitleather, hwit′leth-ėr, n. leather dressed with alum, white leather: the paxwax or nuchal ligament of the ox.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)
Various
Paxwax, paks′waks, n. the strong tendon in the neck of animals.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)
Various

British Dictionary definitions for paxwax

paxwax

noun

dialect a strong ligament in the neck of many mammals, which supports the head

Word Origin for paxwax

C15: changed from C14 fax wax, probably from Old English feax hair of the head, wax growth

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