What is "shoulder"

Girdle \Gir"dle\, n. [OE. gurdel, girdel, AS. gyrdel, fr. gyrdan; akin to D. gordel, G. g["u]rtel, Icel. gyr?ill. See Gird, v. t., to encircle, and cf. Girth, n.]

1. That which girds, encircles, or incloses; a circumference; a belt; esp., a belt, sash, or article of dress encircling the body usually at the waist; a cestus.

   Within the girdle of these walls.
   --Shak.

   Their breasts girded with golden girdles.
   --Rev. xv. 6.

2. The zodiac; also, the equator. [Poetic]
   --Bacon.

   From the world's girdle to the frozen pole.
   --Cowper.

   That gems the starry girdle of the year.
   --Campbell.

3. (Jewelry) The line ofgreatest circumference of a brilliant-cut diamond, at which it is grasped by the setting. See Illust. of Brilliant.
   --Knight.

4. (Mining) A thin bed or stratum of stone.
   --Raymond.

5. (Zo["o]l.) The clitellus of an earthworm.

   Girdle bone (Anat.), the sphenethmoid. See under Sphenethmoid.

   Girdle wheel, a spinning wheel.

   Sea girdle (Zo["o]l.), a ctenophore. See Venus's girdle, under Venus.

   Shoulder, Pectoral, & Pelvic, girdle. (Anat.) See under Pectoral, and Pelvic.

   To have under the girdle, to have bound to one, that is, in subjection.

Shoulder \Shoul"der\, n. [OE. shulder, shuldre, schutder, AS. sculdor; akin to D. schoulder, G. schulter, OHG. scultarra, Dan. skulder, Sw. skuldra.]

1. (Anat.) The joint, or the region of the joint, by which the fore limb is connected with the body or with the shoulder girdle; the projection formed by the bones and muscles about that joint.

2. The flesh and muscles connected with the shoulder joint; the upper part of the back; that part of the human frame on which it is most easy to carry a heavy burden; -- often used in the plural.

   Then by main force pulled up, and on his shoulders bore The gates of Azza.
   --Milton.

   Adown her shoulders fell her length of hair.
   --Dryden.

3. Fig.: That which supports or sustains; support.

   In thy shoulder do I build my seat.
   --Shak.

4. That which resembles a human shoulder, as any protuberance or projection from the body of a thing.

   The north western shoulder of the mountain.
   --Sir W. Scott.

5. The upper joint of the fore leg and adjacent parts of an animal, dressed for market; as, a shoulder of mutton.

6. (Fort.) The angle of a bastion included between the face and flank. See Illust. of Bastion.

7. An abrupt projection which forms an abutment on an object, or limits motion, etc., as the projection around a tenon at the end of a piece of timber, the part of the top of a type which projects beyond the base of the raised character, etc.

   Shoulder belt, a belt that passes across the shoulder.

   Shoulder blade (Anat.), the flat bone of the shoulder, to which the humerus is articulated; the scapula.

   Shoulder block (Naut.), a block with a projection, or shoulder, near the upper end, so that it can rest against a spar without jamming the rope.

   Shoulder clapper, one who claps another on the shoulder, or who uses great familiarity. [Obs.]
   --Shak.

   Shoulder girdle. (Anat.) See Pectoral girdle, under Pectoral.

   Shoulder knot, an ornamental knot of ribbon or lace worn on the shoulder; a kind of epaulet or braided ornament worn as part of a military uniform.

   Shoulder-of-mutton sail (Naut.), a triangular sail carried on a boat's mast; -- so called from its shape.

   Shoulder slip, dislocation of the shoulder, or of the humerous.
   --Swift.

   Shoulder strap, a strap worn on or over the shoulder. Specifically (Mil. & Naval), a narrow strap worn on the shoulder of a commissioned officer, indicating, by a suitable device, the rank he holds in the service. See Illust. in App.

Shoulder \Shoul"der\, v. i. To push with the shoulder; to make one's way, as through a crowd, by using the shoulders; to move swaying the shoulders from side to side.

A yoke of the great sulky white bullocks . . . came shouldering along together.
--Kipling.

Shoulder \Shoul"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shouldered; p. pr. & vb. n. Shouldering.]

1. To push or thrust with the shoulder; to push with violence; to jostle.

   As they the earth would shoulder from her seat.
   --Spenser.

   Around her numberless the rabble flowed, Shouldering each other, crowding for a view.
   --Rowe.

2. To take upon the shoulder or shoulders; as, to shoulder a basket; hence, to assume the burden or responsibility of; as, to shoulder blame; to shoulder a debt.

   As if Hercules Or burly Atlas shouldered up their state.
   --Marston.

   Right shoulder arms (Mil.), a position in the Manual of Arms which the piece is placed on the right shoulder, with the lock plate up, and the muzzle elevated and inclined to the left, and held as in the illustration.

Old English sculdor "shoulder," from West Germanic *skuldro (cognates: Middle Dutch scouder, Dutch schouder, Old Frisian skoldere, Middle Low German scholder, Old High German scultra, German Schulter), of unknown origin, perhaps related to shield (n.). Meaning "edge of the road" is attested from 1933. Cold shoulder (Neh. ix:29) translates Latin humerum recedentum dare in Vulgate (but see cold shoulder). Shoulder-length, of hair, is from 1951.

c.1300, "to push with the shoulder," from shoulder (n.). Meaning "take a burden" first recorded 1580s. The military sense is from 1590s. Related: Shouldered; shouldering.

n. 1 (lb en heading) ''The part of an animal's body between the base of the neck and forearm socket.'' 2 #The part of the human torso forming a relatively horizontal surface running away from the neck. 3 #(lb en anatomy) The joint between the arm and the torso, sometimes including the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments. 4 #A cut of meat comprised of 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 (lb en heading topography) ''A shelf between two levels.'' 8 #A part of a road where drivers may stop in an emergency; a hard shoulder. 9 #The portion of a hill or mountain just below the peak. 10 #The 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. 13 (lb en printing) The flat portion of type that is below the bevelled portion that joins up with the face. 14 (lb en heading of an object) ''The portion below the neck.'' 15 #(lb en music) The rounded portion of stringed instrument where the neck joins the body. 16 #The rounded portion of a bottle where the neck meets the body. 17 #(lb en firearms) The angled section between the neck and the main body of a cartridge. 18 (lb en figurative) That which supports or sustains; support. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To push (a person or thing) using one's shoulder. 2 (context transitive English) To carry (something) on one's shoulders. 3 (context transitive figuratively English) To bear a burden, as a financial obligation. 4 (context transitive English) To put (something) on one's shoulders. 5 (context transitive figuratively English) To accept responsibility for. 6 (context transitive English) To place (something) against one's shoulders. 7 (context transitive English) To form a shape resembling a shoulder. 8 (context intransitive English) To move by or as if by using one's shoulders.

1. v. lift onto one's shoulders

2. push with the shoulders; "He shouldered his way into the crowd"

3. carry a burden, either real or metaphoric; "shoulder the burden"

1. n. the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

2. a cut of beef from the shoulder of the animal

3. a ball-and-socket joint between the head of the humerus and a cavity of the scapula [syn: shoulder joint, articulatio humeri]

4. narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road [syn: berm]

The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The shoulder joint also known as the glenohumeral joint, is the major joint of the shoulder, but can more broadly include the acromioclavicular joint. In human anatomy, the shoulder joint comprises the part of the body where the humerus attaches to the scapula, the head sitting in the glenoid cavity. The shoulder is the group of structures in the region of the joint.

There are two kinds of cartilage in the joint. The first type is the white hyaline cartilage on the ends of the bones (called articular cartilage) which allows the bones to glide and move on each other. When this type of cartilage starts to wear out (a process called arthritis), the joint becomes painful and stiff. The glenoid labrum is the second kind of cartilage in the shoulder which is distinctly different from the articular cartilage. This cartilage is more fibrous or rigid than the cartilage on the ends of the ball and socket. Also, this cartilage is also found only around the socket where it is attached.

The shoulder must be mobile enough for the wide range actions of the arms and hands, but also stable enough to allow for actions such as lifting, pushing and pulling. The compromise between mobility and stability results in a large number of shoulder problems not faced by other joints such as the hip.

A shoulder, often serving as an emergency stopping lane, is a reserved lane by the verge of a road or motorway, on the right in countries which drive on the right, or on the left side in Japan, the UK, Australia, and other left-side driving countries. Many wider U.S. as well as Swedish freeways have shoulders on both sides of each directional carriageway, in the median as well as at the outer edges of the road, for additional safety. Shoulders are not intended for use by through traffic, although there are exceptions (see below).

Shoulders have multiple uses, including:

• In the event of an emergency or breakdown, a motorist can pull into the shoulder to get out of the flow of traffic and obtain a greater degree of safety.
• Emergency vehicles such as ambulances and police cars may use the shoulder to bypass traffic congestion.
• Active traffic management, used on busy multi-lane roads, may allow 'hard shoulder running' by general traffic at reduced speeds during periods of high traffic volumes.
• In some places a 'Bus bypass shoulder' may be provided which allows bus services to pass stationary traffic.
• Paved shoulders provide additional space should a motorist need to take evasive action (such as avoiding a wrong-way driver) or need to recover control of their vehicle before a run-off-road collision occurs.
• In some urban areas, shoulders are used as travel lanes during peak commuting hours.
• In some rural areas without sidewalks, pedestrians and cyclists may be allowed to walk or ride on the shoulders.
• On curbed roadways, shoulders move the gutter away from the travel lanes which reduces the risk of hydroplaning, and reduces splash and spray of stormwater onto pedestrians using any adjacent sidewalk.
• Paved shoulders move water away from the roadway before it can infiltrate into the road's subbase, increasing the life expectancy of the road surface.
• Shoulders help provide extra structural support of the roadway.