over the shoulder
Across the back
Over the shoulder describes a position or direction behind and to the side of someone, following the line from their shoulder backward.
A glance over the shoulder checks what's behind you.
In sports, an over-the-shoulder catch means reaching back while moving forward.
The phrase often suggests watchfulness or suspicion: She kept looking over her shoulder, Always looking over your shoulder.
- quick glanceShort, rapid look
- glanceBrief, casual look
- backwardToward what's behind
- peekFurtive brief look
- lookDirect one's gaze
looking back · shrug · bag · purse · strap · carry · holster · boulder · throw · toss · lob · thrown away · shot · camera · angle · view · behind · turning
- cinematographycamera, lens, shot, shots, lighting
- camera angleshigh angle, low angle, eye level, bird's eye view, worm's eye view
- camera shotsclose-up, close up, helicopter shot, medium shot, crane shot
- screen graphicschyron, bug, caption, subtitle, news ticker
- compositionbalance, symmetry, asymmetry, proportion, layout
- directionsnorth, south, east, west, left
over the shoulderin hand
Possessed and managed
in front · underarm · under the arm · at arm's length · on the ground
over the shoulderstraight ahead
In a line, unchanged direction
looking forward · eyes front · dead ahead · head-on · ahead
over, shoulder, overt, overly, shoulders, shouldered, shouldering