Know Your English (Oct 2001)-1

Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning of "neck to neck"?

First of all, it's not "neck to neck", but "neck and neck". Although there is a tendency to say "neck to neck" within India, it is wrong to do so. When you say that a particular race or contest between two participants was neck and neck, what you are implying is that it was very even or very close; either of the two participants could have won it.
* The survey shows that the two political parties are running neck and neck.
* At the two-mile mark, Mohan and Shyam were running neck and neck.
* Atul and Vishnu were running neck and neck in the quiz competition.
"Neck and neck" comes from the world of horse racing.

Source:
The Hindu daily, Tuesday, October 02, 2001