shoulder

I UK [ˈʃəʊldə(r)] / US [ˈʃoʊldər] noun
Word forms "shoulder":
singular shoulder plural shoulders
***

1)

a) [countable] one of the two parts of your body between your neck and the top of your arms

She injured her shoulder in the accident.

shrug your shoulders (= move them quickly up then down):

Most people would have shrugged their shoulders and forgotten it.

hunch your shoulders (= lift them up towards your neck):

The man was hunching his shoulders against the pounding rain.

b) the part of a shirt, jacket, or other piece of clothing that covers your shoulder

She had on a white jacket with padded shoulders (= extra cloth that makes your shoulders look bigger).

2) [countable/uncountable] the upper part of the front leg of an animal, or meat from this part

a shoulder of lamb

3) [singular] the part of a hill where it curves towards the top

4) [singular] American a hard shoulder

•

fall/rest on someone's shoulders — to be someone's responsibility

All the work of caring for the children fell on her shoulders.

look/watch over someone's shoulder — to watch carefully what someone is doing, especially so that you can criticize them

I can't concentrate with you looking over my shoulder all the time.

- look over your shoulder

- put your shoulder to the wheel

- a shoulder to cry on

- stand shoulder to shoulder

See:

cold shoulder, head I

II UK [ˈʃəʊldə(r)] / US [ˈʃoʊldər] verb [transitive]
Word forms "shoulder":
present tense I/you/we/they shoulder he/she/it shoulders present participle shouldering past tense shouldered past participle shouldered

1) to deal with or accept something difficult

The government cannot ask the public to shoulder the extra cost.

shoulder a responsibility/burden:

Companies can't keep shouldering the burdens imposed by central government.

2) to lift or carry something on your shoulder

The boy shouldered his basket and started to walk away.

3)

a) to push someone with your shoulder

He managed to shoulder his sister out of the way.

b) to get somewhere by pushing people with your shoulders

She had to shoulder her way through the crowd.