What does "shoulder" mean?

1. (body part) the part of your body where your arm joins your neck and trunk. 2. (roadside) the edge of a road where cars can stop in an emergency. 3. (object part) a part of an object that looks like a shoulder, such as the top of a bottle. 4. (to accept responsibility) to accept a difficult job or responsibility. 5. (to push through) to push someone or something out of the way using your shoulders.

shoulder

n. · v.

US //ˈʃoʊɫdɝ// UK //ʃˈəʊldɐ// shoul·der

1 body part (n.)
A2 Elementary Medicine

the part of your body where your arm joins your neck and trunk.

the joint or area of the body between the base of the neck and the upper arm.

Example

He carried the heavy bag over his left shoulder to keep his hands free.

Example

The athlete suffered a minor dislocation of the shoulder during the final minutes of the championship match.
2 roadside (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate American English

the edge of a road where cars can stop in an emergency.

the emergency area or paved strip alongside a main road or highway.

Example

If your car breaks down, pull over onto the shoulder and call for help.

Example

The driver was forced to park on the narrow shoulder of the motorway while waiting for the recovery vehicle to arrive.
- verge
- roadside

Show 3 more sensesShow fewer

3 object part (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical

a part of an object that looks like a shoulder, such as the top of a bottle.

a transitional part of an object between a narrower section and a wider body, such as on a bottle or a musical instrument.

Example

The label was stuck right on the shoulder of the wine bottle.

Example

The luthier carefully inspected the shoulder of the violin for any hairline fractures in the wood grain.
- ledge
- rim
4 to accept responsibility (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to accept a difficult job or responsibility.

to take on or accept a burden, duty, or financial obligation.

Example

As the manager, she had to shoulder the blame for the team's mistake.

Example

The young CEO had to shoulder the immense pressure of saving the company from bankruptcy during the economic downturn.
- shirk
- avoid
5 to push through (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to push someone or something out of the way using your shoulders.

to push or jostle someone or something using physical force from the shoulders.

Example

He had to shoulder his way through the crowded station to catch the train.

Example

The protesters tried to shoulder their way past the security cordon to reach the entrance of the building.
- jostle
- shove
- elbow

Origin

From Middle English schuldre, sholder, shulder, schulder, from Old English sculdra, sculdor (“shoulder”), from Proto-West Germanic skuldru (“shoulder”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Proto-Germanic skelduz (“shield”), see shield. Cognate with Old Frisian skuldere (“shoulder”) (West Frisian skouder (“shoulder”)), Middle Low German scholder (“shoulder”), Low German Schuller, Schulder (“shoulder”), Dutch schouder (“shoulder”), German Schulter (“shoulder”).

Idioms8 entries