n. 1 side, edge, verge, margin; breakdown lane If you have a flat tyre, drive onto the hard shoulder and phone for help 2 give (someone) the cold shoulder. rebuff, snub, ostracize, send (someone) to Coventry, cold-shoulder, put (someone) down, reject, exclude, freeze (someone) out, shun, avoid, Colloq cut (dead) After his court case, they gave Nicholas the cold shoulder at his club 3 put (one's or the) shoulder to the wheel. make every effort, make an effort, strive, work hard, pitch in, apply oneself, roll up one's sleeves, set or get to work, Colloq knuckle down, buckle down If we put our shoulders to the wheel, we ought to be able to get our candidate elected 4 rub shoulders (with). associate (with), hobnob (with), socialize (with), consort (with), mix (with), fraternize (with), keep company (with) Once in a while, she condescends to come down and rub shoulders with the common people 5 shoulder to shoulder. side by side, united, as one, cooperatively, jointly, arm in arm, hand in hand, in partnership If we fight shoulder to shoulder, we can defeat this menace and regain our freedom 6 straight from the shoulder. directly, straightforwardly, candidly, frankly, honestly, openly, unabashedly, unashamedly, unambiguously, unequivocally, plainly, bluntly, man to man, (with) no holds barred, outright, Colloq without beating about the bush, without pulling (any) punches I want to tell you, straight from the shoulder, Willie, you're the best pal in the world
v. 7 push, shove, jostle, hustle, thrust aside, elbow, force She shouldered everyone aside roughly to fight her way to the bargain counter 8 support, carry, bear, take upon oneself, take on, accept, assume: Are you ready to shoulder the responsibilities of caring for a family?