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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
shoulder
I.noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a head/leg/shoulder etc injury
▪ He suffered a shoulder injury while playing rugby.
a shoulder bag (=one that is carried over your shoulder)
▪ Big shoulder bags are fashionable this year.
back/shoulder/throat etc spasm
bear/carry/shoulder the burden (=be responsible for something)
▪ At the age of 16, Suzy bore the burden of providing for her family.
body/shoulder/foot etc massage
▪ A full-body massage lasts around one hour.
clapped...on the shoulder
▪ Ben grinned and clapped me amiably on the shoulder.
cold shoulder
hard shoulder
knee/elbow/shin/shoulder pad (=a pad that you wear to protect a part of your body when you are playing a sport)
lift the burden from sb's shoulders
▪ If I deal with the all the practical problems, that will lift the burden from your shoulders.
shoulder bag
shoulder blade
shoulder pad
shoulder responsibility (=agree to start having a difficult or unpleasant duty)
▪ The city, she said, would shoulder responsibility for caring for the children.
shoulder strap
shrugged...shoulders
▪ I just shrugged my shoulders and ignored him.
slung...over...shoulder
▪ Pete slung his bag over his shoulder.
soft shoulder
take/accept/shoulder the blame (=say that something is your fault)
▪ No one was prepared to take the blame for the disaster.
▪ Parents must shoulder the blame if their kids behave badly.
tap sb on the shoulder/arm/chest etc
▪ He turned as someone tapped him on the shoulder.
weighed...on...shoulders
▪ The burden of responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
broad
▪ The wrist of the tail was thicker, the belly fatter and it was broader across the shoulders.
cold
▪ Giving the cold shoulder to his usual tipple, Ian Knight raises his coffee cup to Drinkwise Day.
▪ Banishment was better than this cold shoulder.
▪ A declaration of love, or the cold shoulder.
▪ Then from then on, we were treated with an absolute cold shoulder, and no one would speak to us.
▪ So they have given girlfriends the cold shoulder.
▪ Rachaela had turned on Ruth, not just the habitual cold shoulder, but with a firework of dislike and alienation.
▪ She was sure that at some point she'd given some one the cold shoulder and hurt them badly without noticing.
hard
▪ She wanted to give in, weaken, her eyes closing and her fingers curling on his hard shoulders.
▪ He left her on the hard shoulder, near Epping, Essex, saying she would only have to wait 15 minutes.
▪ The two children, Mark in Georgina's arms, were spotted along the hard shoulder.
▪ I pictured a man taking leave of his motor; wobbling from the fast lane towards the hard shoulder.
▪ He pulled up on the hard shoulder, switched off and got out.
▪ The body of the pregnant housewife was found near the M-50 motorway after her car broke down on the hard shoulder.
left
▪ She felt a tap on her left shoulder.
▪ Allen slipped and fell and was stabbed three times in his left shoulder and once on top of his head.
▪ The soul followed when fly-half Michael Lynagh dislocated his left shoulder during the recent destruction of Ireland in Dublin.
▪ He aggravated a nagging left shoulder injury and left the ice during the third period.
▪ His left leg was cut off above the knee and he walked with a crutch under his left shoulder.
▪ Hearst sustained a stinger on his left shoulder.
▪ The man was standing by his left shoulder, waiting for the train to stop.
▪ Safety Tim McDonald had bruised a left shoulder in the Rams game, which flared up again Sunday.
right
▪ Place your right hand on your partner's right shoulder and slide your hand firmly all the way up to the neck.
▪ He bruised his right shoulder the week before in the win over the Rams.
▪ Gobbets of pinkish-grey matter exploded from the exit wound below the right shoulder blade.
▪ She survived with muscles in her abdomen, back, right shoulder, and right leg paralyzed.
▪ She went to hospital where she complained of pain in her right shoulder and in the right side of her chest.
▪ Wide receiver J. J. Stokes incurred a right shoulder stinger.
▪ He, poor fellow, was being driven to distraction by the pain in his right shoulder.
▪ The second person stood with his right foot and right shoulder against the wall.
■ NOUN
bag
▪ Tied loosely around the strap of her shoulder bag was a navy and yellow scarf.
▪ No longer will simply-serviceable shoulder bags suffice.
▪ The collection includes two shoulder bags, two duffle bags, a board case, backpacks and briefcases.
▪ Luna almost always carried a flat black shoulder bag.
▪ Claire jams the black box into her shoulder bag.
▪ A fringed cotton shoulder bag hung over one shoulder and he was the very image of a hippy or New-Age traveler.
▪ But the indefatigable Swans, yellow labels flapping from their shoulder bags, would never dream of sitting anything out.
▪ Rain left him supporting himself against a table as she fetched her shoulder bag.
blade
▪ Do not press on the spine or the shoulder blade itself.
▪ When a player took a shot, I felt it through my shoulder blades.
▪ Gobbets of pinkish-grey matter exploded from the exit wound below the right shoulder blade.
▪ With wet clothes clinging to her back, she looked skeletal, her shoulder blades poking up like sharp crags.
▪ Rotating skin on the shoulder blade 6.
▪ Narrow shoulders, indeed the shoulder blades were pronounced and his chest was rectangular.
▪ Place only the fingertips on the shoulder blade.
injury
▪ He suffered head and shoulder injuries and was treated at Newcastle General Hospital.
▪ He aggravated a nagging left shoulder injury and left the ice during the third period.
▪ The heroic all-rounder visited a specialist in London yesterday about a shoulder injury that has dogged him for some weeks.
▪ He suffered a shoulder injury and missed the next eight games.
▪ He left the ice with a shoulder injury during the final period and did not return.
▪ One other remained in hospital for an exploratory operation on a shoulder injury.
▪ Monica Seles has struggled with a shoulder injury.
pad
▪ Cut two little strips to decorate the front of the shoulder pads and press on.
▪ Among the items scientists have unearthed are four-inch clay figurines depicting men wearing hip and shoulder pads.
strap
▪ Forward seat belts each comprised a two-piece lap strap, fastened by a buckle, and an inertial reel diagonal shoulder strap.
▪ Reacher stood outside next to me and handed me the shoulder straps and radio cord from behind the high-backed seat.
▪ Such models also have shoulder straps shaped to fit around the bust.
▪ I clicked the lever over to anchor the shoulder straps to the wide lap belt.
▪ D-ring positioned on each shoulder strap; elasticated chest strap.
▪ The jersey, which was extra small, had shoulder straps that were hanging on by surface tension and willpower.
▪ Shiny plastic and vivid purple padding on the waist and shoulder straps make the sack stand out and guarantee a closer look.
▪ New hand-held bags are introduced this season, double handled or single, with or without shoulder straps.
■ VERB
clap
▪ I clapped Jamie on the shoulder a couple of times and we made for the street.
▪ Jack clapped him on the shoulder.
▪ All around the smoking room, gentlemen seemed to be standing in clusters laughing and clapping each other on the shoulder.
▪ He clapped me on the shoulder.
▪ He clapped me on the shoulder, proclaiming I was a great fellow, before sweeping away to join the dancers.
cry
▪ She needed a real shoulder to cry on.
▪ To offer another shoulder to cry on.
▪ The researcher could share enthusiasms, be a shoulder to cry on and help brainstorm alternatives.
▪ In past years, Diana knew that Earl Spencer would be a shoulder to cry on and a loving counsellor.
▪ She did not seem to realize what she had done, and laid her head on his shoulder, crying with happiness.
▪ When Sam flopped as she hosted the 1989 Brit pop awards Pat was her shoulder to cry on.
fall
▪ I had paid for but not sipped my drink when a heavy hand fell on my shoulder.
▪ Her black hair fell to her shoulders.
▪ For the daily chores fell mainly on the shoulders of the women: shopping, running around to find particular things.
▪ My tank top kept falling off my shoulders as we flew down the stairs.
▪ A heavy weight fell on his shoulders, bearing him down, stunning him with the blow.
▪ The program of abolishing tax support therefore fell on younger shoulders.
▪ Some of the reasons for the caring so often falling on the shoulders of a woman may be unavoidable.
▪ It was long-sleeved and fell loose from the shoulders.
glance
▪ He glanced over his shoulder, the man was coming towards him, pushing through the crowd.
▪ They glance over their shoulders a few times and move closer to each other.
▪ Meh'Lindi glanced once over her shoulder then ran on, taking huge strides.
▪ The physician warily glanced over the shoulder of the chief and recognized Tomahas, a man neighbors called the Murderer.
▪ He never left a low gear yet when I glanced over my shoulder he was miles clear.
▪ Clarisa, flanked and supported by the two older women, glanced back over her shoulder.
▪ It is through being able to see simultaneously both backwards as well as forwards, without the need to glance over his shoulder.
▪ I glanced back over my shoulder, at the same time looking for an escape route.
lift
▪ Raise the arms towards the toes, lifting the head and shoulders off the floor as far as possible without straining.
▪ At these words, immense relief flooded me as the burden of lies I had helped create lifted off my shoulders.
▪ Later she phoned to tell me how much lighter she felt, as if a burden had somehow been lifted from her shoulders.
▪ With Francie Huber and Patrick Corbin, it is an invitation to romance and he succumbs by lifting her across his shoulders.
▪ I bundled up Janir, took him outside and lifted him on to my shoulders.
▪ He looked as though he'd lost twenty years, as though a ten-ton weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
▪ It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.
look
▪ Rachel looked over her shoulder and saw a tall, white-haired man in a crumpled dark suit.
▪ She became secretive, wary, looking over her shoulder at the slightest noise.
▪ He put his case on the sidewalk and paid the driver, then he looked over his shoulder.
▪ With wet clothes clinging to her back, she looked skeletal, her shoulder blades poking up like sharp crags.
▪ Ahead, Ember turned into the tunnel-mouth, not even looking over his shoulder.
▪ And how many despatch riders ever look over their shoulders?
▪ Then the Texas native looked over his shoulder.
pat
▪ She hands Gary a mug, and pats his shoulder affectionately, and smiles at me.
▪ Strangers patted their shoulders and offered words of support.
▪ His big hulking frame-leaned over me as he patted my shoulder.
▪ She strokes her arm, pats her shoulder, smiles up at her.
▪ Jen patted my shoulder and said she was going to look at her e-mail.
▪ When I do not answer, Miss Buechler reaches over and reassuringly pats my shoulder.
▪ They tried to soothe him, pat him on his shoulder.
rest
▪ Richards will have to rest the shoulder for at least four months following the operation to tighten up ligaments.
▪ Her arm tightened around him, her other hand resting loosely on the shoulders of another singer.
▪ Suddenly, the barrel shook as a heavy man sat down and rested his shoulders against it.
▪ Solveig slept softly, her legs drawn up in front of her body, her face resting against his shoulder.
▪ They walked slowly and clumsily, her head resting on his shoulder.
▪ He fastened the beads round his neck, arranging the knife so that it rested hidden between his shoulder blades.
▪ His chin was resting on his shoulder and his face was in profile to her.
rub
▪ The think-tank will have florists rubbing shoulders with the chief of Apple Computers.
▪ The daughter of an itinerant farm worker, Ward now rubs shoulders with the rich, famous and glamorous.
▪ But yesterday, possums, Dame Edna Everage revealed that she was fed up with rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.
▪ He shows no urge to rub shoulders with the lower orders but, if anything, a tendency to keep his distance.
▪ Claudel strolled into the market, rubbing shoulders, ignoring and being ignored.
▪ Samurai warriors of the Shoguns rubbed shoulders with Eskimos and headhunters.
▪ He sat down on the bed near her and rubbed her shoulders but her body stayed tense.
shrug
▪ Even so people seem to shrug their shoulders.
▪ She looked at her sister, who shrugged her shoulders noncommittally.
▪ I shrugged my shoulders, turned, and walked away.
▪ I shrugged my shoulders and he nodded.
▪ She didn't feel at all able just to shrug her shoulders philosophically and go upstairs again into the sitting-room.
▪ She could see shrugging impatience in his shoulders.
▪ Myra shrugged her shoulders and found something to do that would keep her busy and well out of Claudia's way.
▪ He undid the buttons of his shirt and shrugged it from his shoulders, letting it fall unheeded to the floor.
sling
▪ Some were running: some were striding purposefully; some had rifles slung across their shoulders on rope straps.
▪ A trash bag slung over the shoulder, Santa-style.
▪ Tucking it into one of the saddlebags, he looked up to see Mariana with one Greener slung over her shoulders.
▪ Hicks put the pistols inside it and slung it around his shoulder by one strap.
▪ The lesser bag she slung on to her shoulder.
▪ His Leica was always around his neck, his camera bag slung from his shoulder.
▪ Sweating, he took off his anorak and carried it slung over his shoulder.
▪ He dashed back, picked up Granny Weatherwax, slung her over his shoulder and ran on, downhill.
square
▪ I squared my shoulders, returned to the flat and cleaned the kitchen.
▪ She threw her head back, squared her shoulders and walked briskly toward the elevator.
▪ Then she squared her shoulders and headed indoors.
▪ She hesitated on the back steps a minute, then squared her shoulders and went inside.
▪ She got back on Midnight, in order to look down on Sebastian and Antony, and squared her shoulders.
▪ Pulling himself upright, he squared his shoulders.
▪ Sometimes there was a new seriousness, the supple posture of childhood exchanged for squared shoulders and a stiff spine.
stand
▪ Though short, he stands head and shoulders above most.
▪ We stood on the shoulder and peered down through the thick forest of old fir and knew he was there somewhere.
▪ Susan had entered quietly, and stood looking over his shoulder, watching him work.
▪ Jackson stood head and shoulders above his confreres, and...
▪ He never let Karelin use his size advantage for leverage, standing shoulder to shoulder and chest to chest instead.
▪ The man was standing by his left shoulder, waiting for the train to stop.
▪ So did he, standing behind my shoulder.
tap
▪ He tapped her on the shoulder.
▪ It was 5.06 when he was tapped on the shoulder and told that he was urgently needed on the phone.
▪ When the old man returned from the toilet, he tapped Bedford on the shoulder and gestured for him to stand.
▪ Then Fenella tapped me on the shoulder and I almost had a heart attack.
▪ Still, you never know when the moving finger might tap you on the shoulder.
▪ The friar turned as some one tapped him on the shoulder.
▪ Both were waiting for stardom to tap them on the shoulder.
throw
▪ They catch them with one front paw and throw them over their shoulders on to the bank.
▪ Coats were thrown over the shoulders of some stones.
▪ She threw back her shoulders and swallowed the hard, hot lump in her throat.
▪ Always ready to knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, bite my tongue, cross my fingers.
▪ Her figure even looked good; he wanted to weep, or throw her over his shoulder and just run.
▪ They were worn with one end thrown across the shoulder high under the chin, giving the wearer a conspiratorial air.
▪ Katherine threw her shoulders back and walked slowly down the stairs.
▪ Keith throws his right shoulder backwards and forwards, hoping the pads will somehow slide into place.
touch
▪ Another step back, and the back of Ace's head touched Daak's shoulder.
▪ Evening came and the man touched her shoulder.
▪ He read her expression - enquiring - and touched her on both shoulders.
▪ Ruth touched his shoulder and turned back to the stove.
▪ He touched his shoulder, then laid his hand on his head.
▪ Phagu chuckled at me through the window and touched me on the shoulder.
▪ When supper had finished, Fritz touched me on the shoulder.
▪ He touched her shoulder, and her upper arm, and the inside of her elbow.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(give sb/get) the cold shoulder
▪ A declaration of love, or the cold shoulder.
▪ Giving the cold shoulder to his usual tipple, Ian Knight raises his coffee cup to Drinkwise Day.
▪ She was sure that at some point she'd given some one the cold shoulder and hurt them badly without noticing.
▪ So they have given girlfriends the cold shoulder.
a trick knee/ankle/shoulder etc
an old head on young shoulders
be/stand head and shoulders above sb
▪ But the surgery has given him confidence to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
▪ Jackson stood head and shoulders above his confreres, and...
▪ The fourth, who stood head and shoulders above them, was older.
▪ Though short, he stands head and shoulders above most.
give sb the cold shoulder
▪ After I got the promotion, a few of my co-workers started giving me the cold shoulder.
▪ She was sure that at some point she'd given some one the cold shoulder and hurt them badly without noticing.
▪ So they have given girlfriends the cold shoulder.
▪ Vernon regretted giving Harcourt the cold shoulder; he would have been some one to laugh with.
have a chip on your shoulder
▪ The Doyle kid has had a chip on his shoulder ever since his mom and dad divorced.
▪ In some cases folks are just mad and have a chip on their shoulder.
hunch your shoulders
▪ Ballesteros hunched his shoulders, put his palms up in the air, and raised his dark, thick eyebrows.
▪ He hunched his shoulders and stamped his way defiantly down the rest of the stairs and out into the cobbled street.
▪ He put them on, and peered round the room, hunching his shoulders, shamming the old scholar.
▪ Lean away from the flexed knee and keep your guard close to your body, but avoid hunching your shoulders.
▪ Schmidt hunched his shoulders and gobbled like a turkey.
▪ Then, hunching his shoulders against the pounding rain, he lurched towards the barn.
ride on sb's shoulders/back
▪ Better than that was riding on his back while he went down on hands and knees and neighed like a horse.
▪ Dostoevsky wanted to stifle the thought that he was riding on the back of Nechacv's perverse glamour.
▪ Just by riding on your shoulders, Newt.
▪ Oblivious to the emotion riding on their backs, Aureole and Pinza came to Epsom with excellent credentials.
▪ Or you can ride on my back, if you prefer.
▪ People on welfare are not taking a ride on the backs of other people.
▪ Power can not ride on an upright back.
rub shoulders with sb
▪ As a reporter he gets to rub shoulders with all the big names in politics and the media.
▪ But yesterday, possums, Dame Edna Everage revealed that she was fed up with rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.
▪ He shows no urge to rub shoulders with the lower orders but, if anything, a tendency to keep his distance.
▪ Samurai warriors of the Shoguns rubbed shoulders with Eskimos and headhunters.
▪ The daughter of an itinerant farm worker, Ward now rubs shoulders with the rich, famous and glamorous.
▪ The great Council House of 1879 and the neo-Classical Town Hall rub shoulders with the bold and modern.
▪ The think-tank will have florists rubbing shoulders with the chief of Apple Computers.
▪ Voice over Here the stars for the day rub shoulders with the stars of the show.
square your shoulders
▪ I squared my shoulders, returned to the flat and cleaned the kitchen.
▪ Pulling himself upright, he squared his shoulders.
▪ She got back on Midnight, in order to look down on Sebastian and Antony, and squared her shoulders.
▪ She hesitated on the back steps a minute, then squared her shoulders and went inside.
▪ She threw her head back, squared her shoulders and walked briskly toward the elevator.
▪ Then she squared her shoulders and headed indoors.
straight from the shoulder
▪ Sometimes he spoke straight from the shoulder and sometimes in puzzles and parables.
▪ The jab snaps out straight from the shoulder and bounces back immediately into high guard.
the set of sb's face/jaw/shoulders etc
▪ He hated the set of different faces glaring up at him night after night.
▪ Her husband's brow furrowed as he noted the set of her face.
▪ Something in the set of his shoulders suggested that his pursuers were not far behind.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ a pork shoulder roast
▪ Ben put his arm around Kari's shoulders.
▪ Several cars with their hoods up were on the shoulder.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Corbett just grinned over his shoulder and led them out on to the beaten track down to the village of Woodstock.
▪ Fredrickson dislocated his right shoulder early in the second quarter and did not return to the game.
▪ He looked as though he'd lost twenty years, as though a ten-ton weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
▪ He pulled the chain that hung above his right shoulder.
▪ I drop her across my shoulder and walk away.
▪ Its dripping wets the front of her dress, its rigid head glares over her shoulder.
▪ Lorton was carrying a bag over his shoulder and humming under his breath.
▪ Our shoulders, arms and legs ache, but we hardly notice.
II.verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
blame
▪ Mr Taylor must shoulder much of the blame.
▪ The Republican Party must shoulder some of the blame for the networks' disinterest.
▪ If Labour is being forced to fight old battles, it must shoulder part of the blame.
burden
▪ Coupled with the financial implications if carers decided they could no longer shoulder this burden the case for supporting respite care becomes overwhelming.
▪ Why, he asked, should the taxpayer shoulder the burden of expropriation?
▪ After the publicists, casting directors began to shoulder the burden.
▪ They reflect a tough tradition among rural women of shouldering a heavy economic burden and speaking their mind.
▪ Voice over Swindon is one of the eighties boom towns which has had to shoulder the burden of recession.
▪ Why don't we shoulder all the burdens of this wretched country?
way
▪ She shouldered her way between Anne and Derek.
▪ Nicolo shouldered his way through the crowd towards the Princess.
▪ Erlich shouldered his way through the crowd and went after her.
▪ Or sometimes Andrew had been so drunk that Iain shouldered him all the way home.
▪ He was curious and, shouldering his way through the crowd, made his way to St Mary Le Bow.
▪ Henry gave a short run and shouldered his way past the door.
▪ She then attempted a drowsy recap on the Royal Family but I shouldered my way out of there as soon as I could.
▪ Bringing up the rear, Duke shouldered his way into the kitchen.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(give sb/get) the cold shoulder
▪ A declaration of love, or the cold shoulder.
▪ Giving the cold shoulder to his usual tipple, Ian Knight raises his coffee cup to Drinkwise Day.
▪ She was sure that at some point she'd given some one the cold shoulder and hurt them badly without noticing.
▪ So they have given girlfriends the cold shoulder.
a trick knee/ankle/shoulder etc
an old head on young shoulders
be/stand head and shoulders above sb
▪ But the surgery has given him confidence to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
▪ Jackson stood head and shoulders above his confreres, and...
▪ The fourth, who stood head and shoulders above them, was older.
▪ Though short, he stands head and shoulders above most.
give sb the cold shoulder
▪ After I got the promotion, a few of my co-workers started giving me the cold shoulder.
▪ She was sure that at some point she'd given some one the cold shoulder and hurt them badly without noticing.
▪ So they have given girlfriends the cold shoulder.
▪ Vernon regretted giving Harcourt the cold shoulder; he would have been some one to laugh with.
have a chip on your shoulder
▪ The Doyle kid has had a chip on his shoulder ever since his mom and dad divorced.
▪ In some cases folks are just mad and have a chip on their shoulder.
straight from the shoulder
▪ Sometimes he spoke straight from the shoulder and sometimes in puzzles and parables.
▪ The jab snaps out straight from the shoulder and bounces back immediately into high guard.
the set of sb's face/jaw/shoulders etc
▪ He hated the set of different faces glaring up at him night after night.
▪ Her husband's brow furrowed as he noted the set of her face.
▪ Something in the set of his shoulders suggested that his pursuers were not far behind.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ He shouldered his ax and began walking into the woods.
▪ The burden of supporting the poor is shouldered mainly by charities.
▪ The company is unwilling to shoulder the cost of installing a daycare center.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ After the publicists, casting directors began to shoulder the burden.
▪ Dorfman plays keyboards -- an injury preventing him from shouldering his usual accordion.
▪ Family graves may occasionally receive a visit by a lone person shouldering a glum aura.
▪ The capacity of the fourteen divisions to shoulder this responsibility, and the load placed on each division both varied enormously.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
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

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

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

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.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
shoulder

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.

shoulder

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.

Wiktionary
shoulder

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.

WordNet
shoulder
  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"

shoulder
  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]

Wikipedia
Shoulder

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.

Shoulder (road)

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.

Usage examples of "shoulder".

When we went on holidays, we called it going pink-eye, my Aboriginal father carried me on his shoulders when I was tired.

As she leaned against the wall of the house, the rough texture of the red brick gently abraded her bare shoulders.

She grasped his shoulders then, moving her legs, reveling in the abrasive feel of his hair roughened skin against the softness of her thighs.

In virtual, hours ago, he had been young and solid, just as Abrim remembered him, his shoulders rounded with muscle.

Round the corner of the narrow street there came rushing a brace of whining dogs with tails tucked under their legs, and after them a white-faced burgher, with outstretched hands and wide-spread fingers, his hair all abristle and his eyes glinting back from one shoulder to the other, as though some great terror were at his very heels.

She slung her Uzi over her shoulder then abseiled down, landing silently on the floor below.

The two loops may be connected by an appending ridge provided that it does not abut at right angles between the shoulders of the loop formation.

For example, a loop with an appendage abutting upon its recurve between the shoulders and at right angles, as in illustration 56, will appear sometimes as in illustration 57 with the recurve totally destroyed.

When figure 188 is examined, it will be noticed that the recurve is spoiled by the appendage abutting upon it between the shoulders at a right angle, so it must also be classified with the tented arches.

An appendage abutting upon a loop at right angles between the shoulders is considered to spoil the loop, while an appendage which flows off smoothly is considered to leave the recurve intact.

The one on the left, however, has an appendage abutting upon the shoulders of its recurve at a right angle.

There are three loop formations, each one of which is spoiled by an appendage abutting upon its recurve between the shoulders at a right angle.

If examined closely the pattern will be seen to have an appendage abutting at a right angle between the shoulders of each possible recurve.

Then someone was helping her, telling her in some strange accent to bring him in here, hands guiding her shoulders, leading her into a tent with a soft glow of lamplight.

I walked over to her bed and collapsed on it, and the next thing I knew she was shaking my shoulder and telling me that it was six in the morning and it was time to take the truck back to the Acme Fertilizer Company and make another pick-up.