Middle English Dictionary Entry

shulder n.
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Entry Info

Forms shulder n. Also shuldre, shuldur, shuder, shoulder, sholder(e, sholdre, sholdur, sholdour, shilder, shildur, childre, (SW) ssuldre, (N) sculder, scoulder, childer & (early) sculdre, scoldre, soldre; pl. shulder(e)s, etc. & shulderin, shuldern(es, shuldre(n, shuldur, (SW) ssuldren, ssculdrene, ssoldre(n, (N) sculdres, sculder, suldres, chuldris & (early) sculderen, sculdre, sholdren, shildren, (infl.) sculdran, sculdru, scoldrum & (errors) schulden, sculdraþ, schorderys, scaldrun.
Etymology OE sculdor, sculdur, sculder, sculdra, pl. sculdru, sculdra, (Nhb.) scyldru & gescyldru; cp. MDu. schouder, scuder, schulder.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
(a) The shoulder of a person; also used of an image or of God; also, the part of the body comprising the shoulders and the region between them; ~ joint; (b) more (louer) bi the shulderes, head and shoulders taller (shorter) (than sb.); peren from the ~ and aboven, to tower head and shoulders (above sb.); (c) the shoulder blade; box (pit) of the ~, the socket in the shoulder blade for the humerus bone; (d) the shoulder joint; (e) ?the back of a person.
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1b.
A person's shoulder having the function of carrying burdens or providing strength; also fig.; leien shulderes under the yoke of, to be subservient to (wickedness or sin); putten ~ under the charge, bear the financial burden or obligation; serven to with (in) o ~, serve (God) in unison.
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2.
(a) The shoulder of a horse or an ass; the foreleg and its adjacent parts cut from an animal; ~ braun, ~ of motoun (venesoun), a forequarter of pork, sheep, or deer used as food; (b) pl. the part of a bird or an insect comprising the upper parts of the wings and the adjacent section between them on the back; also, the shoulder or back area of a dragon; also, the scaly spines on the back of a crocodile.
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3.
The part of a garment covering the shoulder; ~ cloth (lin), the linen shoulder piece of the ephod of the Jewish High Priest.
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4.
(a) The part of a highland or plateau where the steep slope descends to gentler terrain; (b) one of the supports for a structure or vessel.
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Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. shoulder.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc. (sense 1a.(a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. shoulder joint.

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