Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. shoulder(noun)

   the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

2. shoulder(noun)

   a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg

3. shoulder, shoulder joint, articulatio humeri(noun)

   a ball-and-socket joint between the head of the humerus and a cavity of the scapula

4. shoulder(noun)

   the part of a garment that covers or fits over the shoulder

   "an ornamental gold braid on the shoulder of his uniform"

5. shoulder, berm(verb)

   a narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road

   "the car pulled off onto the shoulder"

6. shoulder(verb)

   lift onto one's shoulders

7. shoulder(verb)

   push with the shoulders

   "He shouldered his way into the crowd"

8. shoulder(verb)

   carry a burden, either real or metaphoric

   "shoulder the burden"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. shoulder(Noun)

   The joint between the arm and the torso, sometimes including the surrounding area.

   The parrot was sitting on Steve's shoulder.

2. shoulder(Noun)

   A part of a road where drivers may stop in an emergency; a hard shoulder.

   He stopped the car on the shoulder of the highway to change the flat tire.

3. shoulder(Noun)

   A cut of meat comprised of the upper joint of the foreleg and the surrounding muscle.

4. shoulder(Noun)

   The portion of a garment where the shoulder is clothed.

5. shoulder(Noun)

   The portion of a hill or mountain just below the peak.

6. shoulder(Noun)

   The lateral protrusion of a hill or mountain.

7. shoulder(Noun)

   (printing) The flat portion of type that is below the bevelled portion that joins up with the face.

8. shoulder(Noun)

   (music) The rounded portion of stringed instrument where the neck joins the body.

9. shoulder(Noun)

   The rounded portion of a bottle where the neck meets the body.

10. shoulder(Verb)

    To push (a person or thing) using one's shoulder.

11. shoulder(Verb)

    To carry (something) on one's shoulders.

12. shoulder(Verb)

    To accept responsibility for.

    shoulder the blame

Origin: From sholder, shulder, schulder, from sculdor, sculdra, from *, of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to skelduz, see shield. Cognate with skuldere, scholder, schouder, Schulter.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Shoulder(noun)

   the joint, or the region of the joint, by which the fore limb is connected with the body or with the shoulder girdle; the projection formed by the bones and muscles about that joint

2. Shoulder(noun)

   the flesh and muscles connected with the shoulder joint; the upper part of the back; that part of the human frame on which it is most easy to carry a heavy burden; -- often used in the plural

3. Shoulder(noun)

   fig.: That which supports or sustains; support

4. Shoulder(noun)

   that which resembles a human shoulder, as any protuberance or projection from the body of a thing

5. Shoulder(noun)

   the upper joint of the fore leg and adjacent parts of an animal, dressed for market; as, a shoulder of mutton

6. Shoulder(noun)

   the angle of a bastion included between the face and flank. See Illust. of Bastion

7. Shoulder(noun)

   an abrupt projection which forms an abutment on an object, or limits motion, etc., as the projection around a tenon at the end of a piece of timber, the part of the top of a type which projects beyond the base of the raised character, etc

8. Shoulder(verb)

   to push or thrust with the shoulder; to push with violence; to jostle

9. Shoulder(verb)

   to take upon the shoulder or shoulders; as, to shoulder a basket; hence, to assume the burden or responsibility of; as, to shoulder blame; to shoulder a debt

Origin: [OE. shulder, shuldre, schutder, AS. sculdor; akin to D. schoulder, G. schulter, OHG. scultarra, Dan. skulder, Sw. skuldra.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Shoulder

   The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle, the scapula, and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which "shoulder joint" generally refers to. In human anatomy, the shoulder joint comprises the part of the body where the humerus attaches to the scapula, the head sitting in the glenoid fossa. The shoulder is the group of structures in the region of the joint. There are two kinds of cartilage in the joint. The first type is the white cartilage on the ends of the bones which allows the bones to glide and move on each other. When this type of cartilage starts to wear out, the joint becomes painful and stiff. The labrum is a second kind of cartilage in the shoulder which is distinctly different from the articular cartilage. This cartilage is more fibrous or rigid than the cartilage on the ends of the ball and socket. Also, this cartilage is also found only around the socket where it is attached. The shoulder must be mobile enough for the wide range actions of the arms and hands, but also stable enough to allow for actions such as lifting, pushing and pulling. The compromise between mobility and stability results in a large number of shoulder problems not faced by other joints such as the hip.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'shoulder' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2243

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'shoulder' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3075

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'shoulder' in Nouns Frequency: #537

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of shoulder in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of shoulder in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. Aesop:

   Put your shoulder to the wheel.

2. Lu Chung-chi:

   We shoulder ultimate responsibility.

3. David Heath:

   We’re talking about a hand on an arm or shoulder.

4. Allen Ginsberg:

   America I'm putting my queer shoulder to the wheel.

5. Elbert Hubbard:

   Responsibilities gravitate to the person who can shoulder them.

Images & Illustrations of shoulder

Popularity rank by frequency of use