shoulder-piece
1. a. Antiq. A piece of armour covering the shoulder.
| 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong., La haute piece, the shoulder peece of an harneis. 1611 Cotgr., Espauliere, a showlder peece; the peece of armour, or apparell that serues for the shoulder. 1869 Boutell Arms & Armour iv. 58 The shoulder-pieces [of the Roman cuirass] formed of four plates..pass over the shoulders like straps. |
| transf. 1681 Grew Musæum i. §ii. i. 20 The Weesle⁓headed Armadillo... His Shoulder-piece consisteth of several Ranks or Rows of such like square pieces. |
b. A piece or each of the pieces of material composing the shoulders of a garment.
| 1611 Bible Exod. xxviii. 7 It shall haue the two shoulder pieces thereof, ioyned at the two edges thereof. 1632 Massinger Fatal Dowry iv. i, With a haire breadth's errour, ther's a shoulder piece cut [of a new suit of clothes]. 1861 Engl. Wom. Dom. Mag. III. 117 It was made with shoulder-pieces cut out in the shape of a pelerine... The shoulder-pieces were trimmed with brown ribbon. |
† 2. = bust n.1 1.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1692 Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 262 Before this play is a shoulder-piece of the author standing on a pedestall. |
3. The piece forming the shoulder (of a tool, etc.).
| 1811 Self Instructor 28 The cheek or shoulder-piece [of a pen]. 1904 Windle Rem. Prehist. Age xi. 285 By the extension of the pin-trough, which is bent backwards towards the shoulder-piece. |
b. A piece of the fore-hock (of bacon).
| 1888 Leeds Mercury 18 Feb. 5 Beautiful bread, and a large thick piece of shoulder-piece in addition to real coffee. |