Semantics

Он покровительственно похлопал меня по плечу. He patted me on the shoulder condescendingly.
This entry concerns the use of the word плечо to refer to the part of the torso between the neck and the arm of humans and animals. Common sense will dictate which of the expressions can or cannot be used to refer to animals. The word плечо can also refer to the corresponding part of an article of clothing, a meaning not described in this dictionary.