Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or located in the region of the neck or throat.
  • noun A jugular vein.
  • noun The most vital part.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In anatomy, pertaining to the throat in general.
  • In ichthyology: Having the ventral fins situated at the throat, in advance of the pectorals: as, a jugular fish. Cf.
  • Situated in advance of the pectorals: as, jugular fins.
  • In ornithology, pertaining to the jugulum.
  • In entomology, one of the large corneous plates covering the maxillæ in certain Coleoptera.
  • In ichthyology, one of the anterior cardinal veins, which bring back blood from the head and anterior extremities. Also called vena jugularis.
  • noun In anatomy, a jugular vein.
  • noun In ichthyology, a jugular fish.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Anat.) One of the large veins which return the blood from the head to the heart through two chief trunks, an external and an internal, on each side of the neck; -- called also the jugular vein.
  • noun (Zoöl.) Any fish which has the ventral fins situated forward of the pectoral fins, or beneath the throat; one of a division of fishes (Jugulares).
  • adjective Of or pertaining to the throat or neck.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to the jugular vein.
  • adjective (Zoöl.) Having the ventral fins beneath the throat; -- said of certain fishes.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Relating to, or located near, the neck or throat.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to fish with ventral fins attached under the throat.
  • adjective humorous Relating to juggling.
  • noun Vein through the neck (or thorax) that returns blood from the head back towards the heart. Properly this is called the jugular vein.
  • noun By extension, any critical vulnerability.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a vital part that is vulnerable to attack
  • adjective relating to or located in the region of the neck or throat
  • noun veins in the neck that return blood from the head

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Late Latin iugulāris (vēna), jugular (vein), from Latin iugulum, collarbone, diminutive of iugum, yoke; see yeug- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Late Latin jugulāris, from Latin iugulum ("neck, throat"), from iugum ("yoke"), from Proto-Indo-European *yugóm.

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Examples

  • In other words, Moore in the usual vein (jugular, that is).

    You Suck by Christopher Moore: Book summary 2010

  • They're kind of in a bind there: if they really believe going for the jugular is their only hope, then they have to go for it.

    Polls Show Obama Way Up In Two Key Swing States 2009

  • And he can go for the jugular, which is something he does rather well, as opposed to Barack Obama, who is much more academic, and I don't think he really likes to get involved in that kind of -- correct me if you think I'm wrong.

    CNN Transcript Aug 23, 2008 2008

  • But his Democratic heirs mostly lacked either the light touch or the instinct for the jugular, which is one reason so few have made it to the White House.

    The Democrats' 'Toughness Gap' 2008

  • Another pair of veins runs from the head, past ears, through the neck; which veins are termed the jugular veins.

    The History of Animals 2002

  • It has been called the jugular view of the British Commonwealth but we know that it is oil rather than blood which should flow through it.

    International Co-operation 1956

  • In this situation the vagus presents a well-marked ganglionic enlargement, which is called the jugular ganglion (ganglion of the root); to it the accessory nerve is connected by one or two filaments.

    IX. Neurology. 5j. The Vagus Nerve 1918

  • Based on past performance, she won't waste her time with little sarcasms against Palin herself; instead, she'll go straight to the GOP's jugular, which is bad policy and its current consequences.

    Buck Naked Politics 2008

  • Sorry Glenda, vampires go for the jugular which is much bigger, nor are they too precise and certainly wouldn't worry about hurting you.

    Yesterday, with vampires Glenda Larke 2009

  • Effective cut blocker who will go for the "jugular" on his hits.

    USATODAY.com 2005

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