have broad shoulders
To be able or willing to accept multiple demands and responsibilities. You have some broad shoulders, kid—I'm so impressed with how you're balancing schoolwork with being captain of the football team and student council president! I know he's a star already, but he needs to have broad shoulders if he's going to play in New York. In the city that never sleeps, the demands on an athlete's time never stop. Our dad has broad shoulders, thank goodness. After Mom died, he raised us as a single parent while working a full-time job.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
have broad shoulders
1. Lit. to have wide shoulders. She has broad shoulders because she exercises and lifts weights.
2. Fig. to have the ability to cope with unpleasant responsibilities; to have the ability to accept criticism or rebuke. No need to apologize to me. I can take it. I have broad shoulders. Karen may have broad shoulders, but she can't endure endless criticism.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
broad shoulders, have
Be able to accept considerable responsibility, as in With his broad shoulders, he can easily handle both departments. [Second half of 1300s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.