pull away the shoulder

English

Etymology

From the Bible, Zechariah 7:11 KJV: "But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear."

Verb

pull away the shoulder (third-person singular simple present pulls away the shoulder, present participle pulling away the shoulder, simple past and past participle pulled away the shoulder)

1. To turn away, refusing to listen.
   • 1828, Otis Thompson, The Hopkinsian Magazine, volume 3, page 459:

     And it appears from the united testimony of God and man, that sinners have always been disposed to pull away the shoulder and stop their ears, and harden their hearts under divine instructions.