I. ˈshōl-dər noun
Etymology: Middle English sholder, from Old English sculdor; akin to Old High German scultra shoulder
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : the laterally projecting part of the human body formed of the bones and joints with their covering tissue by which the arm is connected with the trunk
b. : the region of the body of nonhuman vertebrates that corresponds to the shoulder but is less projecting
2.
a. : the two shoulders and the upper part of the back — usually used in plural
b. plural : capacity for bearing a task or blame
placed the guilt squarely on his shoulder s
3. : a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg and adjacent parts — see lamb illustration
4. : the part of a garment at the wearer's shoulder
5. : an area adjacent to or along the edge of a higher, more prominent, or more important part: as
a.
(1) : the part of a hill or mountain near the top
(2) : a lateral protrusion or extension of a hill or mountain
b. : either edge of a roadway ; specifically : the part of a roadway outside of the traveled way
6. : a rounded or sloping part (as of a stringed instrument or a bottle) where the neck joins the body
• shoul·dered -dərd adjective
II. verb
( shoul·dered ; shoul·der·ing -d(ə-)riŋ)
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to push or thrust with or as if with the shoulder : jostle
shoulder ed his way through the crowd
2.
a. : to place or bear on the shoulder
shoulder ed her knapsack
b. : to assume the burden or responsibility of
shoulder the blame
intransitive verb
: to push with or as if with the shoulders aggressively