shoulder
/'ʃouldə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The part of the body where the arm connects to the torso: The "shoulder" is the joint and area between the neck and the upper arm.
- A part of a garment covering this body part: The "shoulder" of a shirt or jacket is the section designed to fit over the body's shoulder.
- A paved or unpaved edge alongside a road: The "shoulder" is the strip of land at the side of a roadway, often used for emergency stops.
- A cut of meat from the upper foreleg of an animal: A "shoulder" of lamb or pork is a specific cut of meat.
Verb:
- To carry or bear a burden, literally or figuratively: To "shoulder" means to take on a responsibility, duty, or physical weight.
- To push or force one's way using the shoulders: To "shoulder" means to move through a crowd or obstruction by pushing with the shoulder.
- To place something onto one's shoulders: To "shoulder" can mean to lift and carry something on the shoulders.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- He felt a pain in his right shoulder.
- The shoulder of this jacket is too tight.
- The driver stopped the car on the shoulder to check the tire.
- We roasted a shoulder of pork for dinner.
Verb:
- She had to shoulder the responsibility for the project's failure.
- He shouldered his backpack and began the hike.
- The player shouldered his way past the defender to score.
Advanced Usage
- "Shoulder to shoulder": Side by side, in close proximity and unity.
- The protesters stood shoulder to shoulder.
- "To give someone the cold shoulder": To deliberately ignore someone or treat them with intentional unfriendliness.
- After their argument, she gave him the cold shoulder for a week.
- "To have broad shoulders": To be able to cope with a lot of responsibility or criticism.
- As a manager, you need to have broad shoulders.
- "To rub shoulders with someone": To meet or associate with someone, especially of a higher social status.
- In his job, he rubs shoulders with celebrities.
Variants and Related Words
- Shoulder blade (noun): The flat triangular bone in the back of the shoulder; the scapula.
- Shoulder strap (noun): A strap that goes over the shoulder, as on a bag or piece of clothing.
- Shoulder-length (adjective): Describing hair that reaches down to the shoulders.
- She has shoulder-length blonde hair.
Synonyms
- Noun (body part): Deltoid (muscle), upper arm joint.
- Verb (to bear): Assume, undertake, accept, bear, carry.
- Verb (to push): Jostle, elbow, shove.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Shoulder aside: To push someone or something aside using the shoulder, often forcefully.
- He shouldered aside the other competitors to get to the front.
- Shoulder through: To force a passage through a crowd or obstruction by using the shoulders.
- We had to shoulder through the packed hallway.
Related Idioms
- A chip on one's shoulder: A habitually hostile or defensive attitude, often due to a sense of grievance or inferiority.
- He's had a chip on his shoulder ever since he didn't get the promotion.
- To look over one's shoulder: To be watchful or suspicious of potential danger or competition.
- In this competitive industry, you're always looking over your shoulder.
- To put one's shoulder to the wheel: To start working hard at a task.
- If we all put our shoulders to the wheel, we can finish on time.
Noun
- a narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road
- the car pulled off onto the shoulder
- the part of a garment that covers or fits over the shoulder
- an ornamental gold braid on the shoulder of his uniform
- a ball-and-socket joint between the head of the humerus and a cavity of the scapula
- a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg
- the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
Verb
- carry a burden, either real or metaphoric
- shoulder the burden
- push with the shoulders
- He shouldered his way into the crowd
- lift onto one's shoulders