A painful stiffness or cramp in your neck or back, usually from sleeping in an awkward position.
Of uncertain origin, possibly from Middle English 'crick' or related to the word 'crack,' describing the snapping or wrenching sensation. Some scholars connect it to Old English sound-imitative words, as it mimics the feeling of something going wrong.
Nobody knows exactly where 'crick' came from—it might be onomatopoeia (sound-imitation) because the word sounds like what your neck does when you get one! Doctors often use the less fun term 'torticollis' instead.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.