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soft shoulder

American  

noun

  1. the unpaved edge of a road.


soft shoulder British  

noun

  1. a soft edge along the side of a road that is unsuitable for vehicles to drive on

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It's a simple move out the playbook from a line-out, Ilaria Arrighetti hits a soft shoulder and pops to D'Inca who is absolutely flying.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2024

New cap Izaia Perese found a soft shoulder to start it all before Leota thundered through Pierre Schoeman and Sam Skinner to score.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2021

Iraq war veteran Jason Aitchison says another man in a Mercury started it by “driving crazy,” cutting him off in traffic, and forcing him onto a soft shoulder.

From Washington Times • Nov. 6, 2016

Pulling off onto the soft shoulder, he felt a certain resistance from the undercarriage.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 22, 2010

I want to rest on her soft shoulder, but I know I only have until Spencer comes back from the commercial break.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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