on one's shoulders

Idioms  

1. As one's responsibility, as in The king carries his entire country on his shoulders, or The success of the conference rests on Nancy's shoulders. This metaphoric use of shoulders as the burden-bearing part of the body dates from the late 1300s.

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Example Sentences

That was the curse of dreaming: One woke to pallid reality, with neither wings on one’s shoulders nor goddess in one’s arms.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

One should bear one's foe on one's shoulders as long as time is unfavourable.

From The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 by Ganguli, Kisari Mohan

One must keep a head on one's shoulders and use one's reason.

From The Witch and other stories by Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich

It must be remembered that we were all clad to keep out extreme cold, and that a buffalo coat is a pretty heavy weight to have on one’s shoulders even under ordinary circumstances.

From Dick Onslow Among the Redskins by Soper, George

But one must keep a head on one's shoulders," said Orlov; "one must be reasonable.

From The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories by Garnett, Constance