on one's shoulders
on (one's) shoulders
One's own responsibility or obligation. My siblings' care has been on my shoulders ever since our parents died.
See also: on, shoulder
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
on one's shoulders
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.
See also: on, shoulder
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- play cards
- have swallowed a dictionary
- ain’t 1
- phased
- phazed
- at one's
- at someone's
- open one’s kimono
- gripes one’s butt
- go out of