Quote
1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.
I wanted to be a part of an ensemble cast… That way I didn’t have the pressure of the whole movie on my shoulders.
Jessica Simpson, talking about working with the cast on her upcoming movie, Employee of the Month.
Definition
1. Definition - Study the definition.
when something is entirely my responsibility; having to be accountable when something goes wrong
2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.
Jessica Simpson is saying that she wants to share the responsibility of the movie with other people. She doesn’t want to be solely responsible. She doesn’t want the entire project to be judged on just her performance.
People usually use this expression when they are under a lot of pressure. Having something on your shoulders means that something is weighing you down. It implies that you are worried or anxious.
For example, if you are the editor of a magazine, and the magazine fails, it’s on your shoulders.
If surgery is someone’s last hope for survival, then it’s on the surgeon’s shoulders to succeed.
Examples
1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.
“I’m going to hire a wedding planner. I don’t want to have the whole thing on my shoulders. I just want to enjoy getting married.”
“Right now I’m in school full time and working full time. On top of that, my boyfriend just broke up with me, and I have to move. I have a lot on my shoulders right now.”
“If this deal falls through, it’s all on my shoulders.”
“We need to hire another person. There’s just too much on my shoulders.”