shoulder
- Top 3000
Sense 1
- noun
- A1
The part of your body where your arm joins the top of your chest and back.
He carried his little sister on his shoulders through the crowd.
My shoulders ache after a long day at the computer.
She shrugged her shoulders and said the decision was mine.
The strap of the heavy bag cut into my shoulder.
Common collocations: shrug your shoulders · broad shoulders · over your shoulder · a shoulder injury · shoulder blade
Part of: Parts of the body
Sense 2 · less common
- noun
- B2
The strip along the edge of a main road where a car can stop if it has a problem.
We pulled onto the shoulder and waited for the tow truck.
Never walk along the shoulder of a busy motorway at night.
A police car was parked on the shoulder with lights flashing.
Common collocations: hard shoulder · pull onto the shoulder · stop on the shoulder · soft shoulder
Part of: Means of transport
Sense 3 · less common
- verb
- C1
To accept something hard, such as blame, costs or duties, and deal with it.
She had to shoulder the blame for the failed project.
Ordinary families shoulder most of the cost of these changes.
He shouldered the responsibility for the whole team without complaining.
Common collocations: shoulder the blame · shoulder the responsibility · shoulder the cost · shoulder the burden
Part of: Attitudes and opinions