plural collars
1
: a part of a piece of clothing that fits around a person's neck and is usually folded down
He wore a shirt with a tight-fitting collar.
She grabbed me by the collar.
He loosened his collar. [=unbuttoned the top button of his shirt]
2
: a band of leather, plastic, etc., worn around an animal's neck
I bought a new collar for the dog.
3
technical
: a ring or band used to hold something (such as a pipe or a part of a machine) in place
collars; collared; collaring
informal
1
: to catch or arrest (someone)
The police collared the guy a few blocks from the scene.
2
: to stop (someone) in order to talk : to force (someone) to have a conversation
He collared me on my way out the door.
Cite this Entry
“Collar.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/collar. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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