phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Look over one's shoulder

Posted by Smokey Stover on July 14, 2007

In Reply to: Look over one's shoulder posted by Smokey Stover on July 14, 2007

: : what is the meaning of the phrase 'to look over one's shoulder'?

: When you look over your shoulder, you are looking back to see if anyone is behind you in pursuit, or perhaps to see how the pursuit is going. You will sometimes find it in some such context as this: "Better confess what you have done now and take your punishment, rather than spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder [to see if anyone is after you]."

: More generically it means looking back, which brings us to Satchel Paige, the legendary Negro baseball pitcher with his unimaginably long professional career. Among his "Rules for Staying Young" is "6. And don't look back - something might be gaining on you".
: SS

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.