shoulder arms verb 3noun 2forms 3 verb3 •Of a soldier at drill, to place a rifle on the right shoulder, with the forearm parallel to the ground and the hand holding the butt. •(Commonwealth) Of a soldier at drill, to place a rifle in the side of the flank and gripped by either left or right hand. •To deliberately lift the bat out of the path of the ball when it is judged to be missing the wicket. noun2 •a position or command in the manual of arms in which one places a rifle on the either left or right shoulder, with the forearm parallel to the ground and the hand holding the butt. •(Commonwealth) a military command in which one places a rifle in the side of the flank and gripped by either left or right hand. formsshouldered arms · shouldering arms · shoulders arms