SHOULDER

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does shoulder mean? 

• SHOULDER (noun)
  The noun SHOULDER has 4 senses:

1. the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
2. a cut of beef from the shoulder of the animal
3. a ball-and-socket joint between the head of the humerus and a cavity of the scapula
4. narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road

  Familiarity information: SHOULDER used as a noun is uncommon.

• 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)

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)

Meaning:

A cut of beef from the shoulder of the animal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

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

cut of beef (piece of beef)

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

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

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:

shoulder joint; articulatio humeri; shoulder

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"):

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)

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

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)

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

berm; shoulder

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

edge; margin (a strip near the boundary of an object)

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)

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

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

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