: the laterally projecting part of the human body formed of the bones and joints with their covering tissue by which the arm is connected with the trunk
b
: the region of the body of nonhuman vertebrates that corresponds to the shoulder but is less projecting
2
a
: the two shoulders and the upper part of the back—usually used in plural
b
shoulders plural: capacity for bearing a task or blame
placed the guilt squarely on his shoulders
3
: a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg and adjacent parts see lamb illustration
4
: the part of a garment at the wearer's shoulder
5
: an area adjacent to or along the edge of a higher, more prominent, or more important part: such as
a(1)
: the part of a hill or mountain near the top
(2)
: a lateral protrusion or extension of a hill or mountain
b
: either edge of a roadway
specifically: the part of a roadway outside of the traveled way
6
: a rounded or sloping part (as of a stringed instrument or a bottle) where the neck joins the body
Noun He rested the baby's head on his shoulder. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. She carried a backpack on one shoulder. The horse is five feet high at the shoulder. We had pork shoulder for dinner. Verb He shouldered the blame for the project's failure. The company will shoulder the costs of the repairs. She shouldered the full burden of raising three children. He shouldered the door open. She shouldered through the crowd. She shouldered her way through the crowd. The soldiers shouldered their rifles and marched away. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Pastel pantsuits and flowing caftans are essential for a Miami Girl-about-town, but you're never fully dressed without your shoulder pads. Accessorize! Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2022 Right now, the guy who used to shake the spiders off the shoulder pads in a dusty Division II equipment shed is appreciating the opportunity — and the challenge — at his feet. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2022 Danila slides her purple and white George Washington High School gameday jersey over her shoulder pads for the very first time. Brandon Drenon, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2022 That’s a calculation of a completion probability, enabled by player-tracking data generated by sensors in shoulder pads. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2022 Lowe practiced with the Ducks, who were in shoulder pads Tuesday morning at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 30 Aug. 2022 For down linemen—the players who set up in a three-point stance, with one hand on the ground—another tag is placed in the middle of the shoulder pads on the back. Vince Guerrieri, Popular Mechanics, 23 Aug. 2022 One of the standout looks from the choreography-heavy show involves a micro school girl skirt, thigh-high leather boots, a tough belt-slash-corset, and a biker top embellished with thick leather shoulder pads. André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2022 Bakhtiari said being on the field, strapping his shoulder pads, brought him peace. Ryan Wood, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2022
Verb
Lower-body injury injuries sometimes cause pitchers to alter their mechanics and that can lead to elbow or shoulder problems. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 But many of the players who responded refused to let Traylor shoulder the blame, stepping up to claim accountability for their shortcomings. Greg Luca, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Sep. 2022 The findings from a recent study indicate universities and employers alike could shoulder downstream impact of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade as scholars decided where to pursue an education and launch their careers. Laura Smythe, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Yet somehow, Tiyon always seems to find out and shoulder the responsibility. Alexis Cubit, The Courier-Journal, 17 Aug. 2022 In the last four weeks, 28% of parents with young children reported they were forced to take unpaid leave to shoulder childcare responsibilities. Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2022 In summer, or shoulder season for that matter, there’s not much better than a water-view hike or one that ends up at a beach for lounging and swimming. Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 8 Aug. 2022 One boy brought his stick to shoulder level like a rifle and pretended to shoot teammates.Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2022 Some lawmakers shoulder rifles and holster Glocks as a statement of Second Amendment fealty.Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sholder, from Old English sculdor; akin to Old High German scultra shoulder
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a