shoulder to shoulder

Idioms and Phrases

In close proximity or cooperation, as in The volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder in the effort to rescue the miners . This expression originated in the late 1500s in the military, at first signifying troops in close formation. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

Example Sentences

They closed the sketch standing shoulder-to-shoulder to deliver the cold-open-ending catchphrase "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night."

From Salon

Packed shoulder-to-shoulder, everyone stood on their feet for hours, telling jokes and laughing to keep from panicking during the strange situation.

From Los Angeles Times

More than 1,000 people stood shoulder-to-shoulder on Hoe Street as all of the shops shut up early for the evening.

From BBC

"The community came out to stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with the shop owner after the attack, Mr Maskey added.

From BBC

In a change from the infighting which has hampered the Venezuelan opposition in the past, he has appeared shoulder-to-shoulder with María Corina Machado, whom he continues to refer to as "the opposition leader".

From BBC

Related Words

• collectively
• in tandem
• jointly
• simultaneously
• together