dead weight
"Dead weight" can refer to both literal and figurative burdens across various contexts, including physical weight, nautical capacity, and structural loads.
Definition
B2General
(common)The heaviness of an object or person that is not moving.
Example
- Carrying the unconscious man felt like lugging around dead weight.
B2Figurative
(figurative)A burden or hindrance that slows down progress or productivity.
Example
- She felt like dead weight on the team because she couldn't keep up with the workload.
C1Nautical
(technical)The maximum weight a ship can carry, including cargo, fuel, crew, and provisions.
Example
- The ship's dead weight capacity determines how much cargo it can transport.
C1Engineering
(technical)The fixed weight of a structure, such as a building or bridge, not including any live load or dynamic forces.
Example
- Engineers must account for the dead weight of the bridge when designing its supports.
C1Rail Transport
(technical)The total unpowered weight of a train that needs to be moved by a locomotive.
Example
- The locomotive struggled with the dead weight of the fully loaded train.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "dead weight":
dead moneygross weightweigh downdead woodabsolute weightdead watercarry weightdead handnet weightgive weightdead in the waterdead grounddead meat