English Explanatory Dictionary

shoulder

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The part of an animal's body between the base of the neck and arm socket.
  2. The part of the human torso forming a relatively horizontal surface running away from the neck.
  3. The joint between the arm and the torso, sometimes including the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
  4. A cut of meat comprising the upper joint of the foreleg and the surrounding muscle.
  5. The portion of a garment where the shoulder is clothed.
  6. Anything forming a shape resembling a human shoulder.
  7. A shelf between two levels.
  8. A usually unsealed strip of land bordering a road, where vehicles can drive or park in an emergency.
  9. The portion of a hill or mountain just below the peak.
  10. A lateral protrusion of a hill or mountain.
  11. The angle of a bastion included between the face and flank.
  12. An abrupt projection which forms an abutment on an object, or limits motion, etc., such as the projection around a tenon at the end of a piece of timber.
verb
  1. To push (a person or thing) using one's shoulder.
  2. To bully, manipulate or pull rank on (somebody).
  3. To put (something) on one's shoulders.
  4. To place (something) against one's shoulders.
  5. To bear a burden, as a financial obligation.
  6. To accept responsibility for.
  7. To form a shape resembling a shoulder.
  8. To move by or as if by using one's shoulders.
  9. To round and slightly raise the top edges of slate shingles so that they form a tighter fit at the lower edge and can be swung aside to expose the nail.
  10. To slope downwards from the crest and whitewater portion of a wave.
  11. Of a servant: to embezzle money from (the employer).

Pronunciation

/ˈʃəʊldə/ shōlʹdər /ˈʃoʊldɚ/ en-us-shoulder.ogg

Word forms

shoulder shoulders shouder shouldering shouldered

Etymology

From Middle English schuldre, sholder, shulder, schulder, from Old English sċuldra, sċuldor (“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”).

Synonyms

hook

Derived words

chip on one's shoulder cold shoulder cold-shoulder cold shoulder sleeve double shoulder lock drop shoulder foreshoulder frozen shoulder give someone the cold shoulder hard shoulder heave-shoulder hip and shoulder look over one's shoulder Milwaukee shoulder syndrome off-shoulder off-the-shoulder over the left shoulder over-the-shoulder boulder holder pull away the shoulder put one's shoulder into put one's shoulder to the wheel rub shoulders set one's shoulder to the wheel shoulder angel shoulder arms shoulderbag shoulder bag shoulder-barge shoulder belt shoulderbelt shoulder-blade shoulder blade shoulder block shoulderboard shoulder bolt shoulder bone shoulder button shoulder check shoulder devil shoulder display shoulder drop shoulderer shoulderette shoulderful Shouldergate shoulder girdle shoulder impingement syndrome shoulder joint shoulder knot shoulder-knot shoulder-length shoulderless shoulderlike shoulderload shoulder mark shoulder-of-mutton sail shoulder pad shoulder piece shoulder pole shoulder-pole

Translations

French: epaule Venetan: spała
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