SHOULDER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does shoulder mean? 

• SHOULDER (noun)
  The noun SHOULDER has 5 senses:

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

2. a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg

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

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

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

  Familiarity information: SHOULDER used as a noun is common.

• SHOULDER (verb)
  The verb SHOULDER has 3 senses:

1. lift onto one's shoulders

2. push with the shoulders

3. carry a burden, either real or metaphoric

  Familiarity information: SHOULDER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SHOULDER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("shoulder" is a kind of...):

body part (any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity)

Meronyms (parts of "shoulder"):

armpit; axilla; axillary cavity; axillary fossa (the hollow under the arm where it is joined to the shoulder)

teres; teres muscle (either of two muscles in the shoulder region that move the shoulders and arms)

Holonyms ("shoulder" is a part of...):

body; torso; trunk (the body excluding the head and neck and limbs)

Derivation:

shoulder (push with the shoulders)

shoulder (carry a burden, either real or metaphoric)

shoulder (lift onto one's shoulders)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("shoulder" is a kind of...):

cut; cut of meat (a piece of meat that has been cut from an animal carcass)

Holonyms ("shoulder" is a part of...):

chuck (the part of a forequarter from the neck to the ribs and including the shoulder blade)

Sense 3

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

articulatio humeri; shoulder; shoulder joint

Hypernyms ("shoulder" is a kind of...):

articulatio spheroidea; ball-and-socket joint; cotyloid joint; enarthrodial joint; enarthrosis; spheroid joint (a freely moving joint in which a sphere on the head of one bone fits into a rounded cavity in the other bone)

Meronyms (parts of "shoulder"):

arteria circumflexa humeri; circumflex humeral artery (an artery that supplies the shoulder joint and shoulder muscles)

rotator cuff (a supporting structure of the shoulder consisting of the muscles and tendons that attach the arm to the shoulder joint and enable the arm to move)

arteria circumflexa scapulae; circumflex scapular artery (an artery that serves the muscles of the shoulder and scapular area)

scapula; shoulder blade; shoulder bone (either of two flat triangular bones one on each side of the shoulder in human beings)

Holonyms ("shoulder" is a part of...):

body; torso; trunk (the body excluding the head and neck and limbs)

Derivation:

shoulder (lift onto one's shoulders)

Sense 4

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

an ornamental gold braid on the shoulder of his uniform

Hypernyms ("shoulder" is a kind of...):

cloth covering (a covering made of cloth)

Holonyms ("shoulder" is a part of...):

garment (an article of clothing)

Sense 5

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

berm; shoulder

Context example:

the car pulled off onto the shoulder

Hypernyms ("shoulder" is a kind of...):

edge (the outside limit of an object or area or surface; a place farthest away from the center of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shoulder"):

hard shoulder (a paved strip beside a motorway (for stopping in emergencies))

Holonyms ("shoulder" is a part of...):

road; route (an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation)

• SHOULDER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they shoulder    ... he / she / it shoulders   
Past simple: shouldered   
Past participle: shouldered   
-ing form: shouldering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lift onto one's shoulders

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "shoulder" is one way to...):

bring up; elevate; get up; lift; raise (raise from a lower to a higher position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

shoulder (the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm)

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

Push with the shoulders

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

He shouldered his way into the crowd

Hypernyms (to "shoulder" is one way to...):

thrust (push forcefully)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

shoulder (the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Carry a burden, either real or metaphoric

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

shoulder the burden

Hypernyms (to "shoulder" is one way to...):

carry; transport (move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

shoulder (the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm)

 Context examples 

Sometimes it was she who leaned against him while he read, one arm about her, her head upon his shoulder.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Mr. Murdstone comes out of his chair, takes the book, throws it at me or boxes my ears with it, and turns me out of the room by the shoulders.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“What is the matter?” I asked, resting my hand on his shoulder.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

While he was struggling to his feet the young dog sank teeth twice into his shoulder.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

“There! there!” said Holmes, soothing, patting him upon the shoulder.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The wild man turned back, took him up, set him on his shoulder, and went with hasty steps into the forest.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

It results in paralysis of the muscles of the shoulder, arm, and hand.

(Brachial Plexus Palsy due to Birth Trauma, NCI Thesaurus)

An injury that results in paralysis of the muscles of the shoulder, arm, and hand.

(Brachial Plexus Palsy, NCI Thesaurus)

It results in severe pain in the upper extremity and shoulder, upper arm weakness and loss of sensation in the upper arm.

(Brachial Plexus Neuritis, NCI Thesaurus)

It may result in neck, back, and shoulder pain.

(Breast Hypertrophy, NCI Thesaurus)