crick

/krɪk/

Other forms: cricks; cricked; cricking

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.

Definitions of crick

1. noun

   a painful muscle spasm especially in the neck or back (`rick' and `wrick' are British)
   synonyms: kink, rick, wrick

   type of:

   cramp, muscle spasm, spasm

   a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
2. verb

   twist (a body part) into a strained position
   “crick your neck”

   type of:

   twist

   turn in the opposite direction