breathe down one's neck — to watch someone very closely in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or nervous
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to watch someone very closely in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or nervous
Pronunciation (IPA): /briːð daʊn wʌnz nek/
Example Sentences
- I can't concentrate with you breathing down my neck every five minutes!
- The teacher was breathing down the students' necks during the final exam.
- My mother-in-law has been breathing down my neck about the wedding preparations.
breathe down one's neck
NOUN[/briːð daʊn wʌnz nek/]
to watch someone very closely in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or nervous
💡 Concept
to watch someone very closely in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or nervous
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🎤Pronunciation
🇺🇸 US/briːð daʊn wʌnz nek/
🇬🇧 UK/briːð daʊn wʌnz nek/
🌳Etymology
🎵Rhyme
neckcheckwreck
neck
check
wreck
🔗Collocations
boss breathing down neck
parent breathing down neck
stop breathing down my neck
constantly breathing down neck
breathing down someone's neck
📝Examples
😄 Fun example
“I can't concentrate with you breathing down my neck every five minutes!”
“The teacher was breathing down the students' necks during the final exam.”
😄 Fun example
“My mother-in-law has been breathing down my neck about the wedding preparations.”
“The deadline is breathing down our necks, so we need to work faster.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
monitor closelywatch like a hawkkeep tabs onhover overmicromanage
Antonyms
give spacetrustleave alone
Related
surveillanceoversightscrutinypressuresupervision
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