shoulder

I. 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 shoulders

> 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 • shouldered adjective II. verb (shouldered; shouldering) Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to push or thrust with or as if with the shoulder ; jostle <

shouldered his way through the crowd

> 2. a. to place or bear on the shoulder <

shouldered 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