Tom was a dead weight and her muscles ached as she carried him upstairs.
We must free ourselves from the dead weight of history.
She's just a dead weight on the business at the moment.
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
Dead weight — Dead Dead (d[e^]d), a. [OE. ded, dead, deed, AS. de[ a]d; akin to OS. d[=o]d, D. dood, G. todt, tot, Icel. dau[eth]r, Sw. & Dan. d[ o]d, Goth. daubs; prop. p. p. of an old verb meaning to die. See {Die}, and cf. {Death}.] 1. Deprived of life;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Dead weight — Weight Weight, n. [OE. weght, wight, AS. gewiht; akin to D. gewigt, G. gewicht, Icel. v[ae]tt, Sw. vigt, Dan. v[ae]gt. See {Weigh}, v. t.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality of being heavy; that property of bodies by which they tend toward the center… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
dead weight — dead weights 1) N COUNT A dead weight is a load which is surprisingly heavy and difficult to lift. He hoisted the dead weight over his shoulder. 2) N COUNT: usu sing You can refer to something that makes change or progress difficult as a dead… … English dictionary
dead|weight ton — dead weight ton, or dead|weight ton «DEHD WAYT» a long ton (2,240 pounds) used in calculating dead weight tonnage … Useful english dictionary
dead weight ton — dead weight ton, or dead|weight ton «DEHD WAYT» a long ton (2,240 pounds) used in calculating dead weight tonnage … Useful english dictionary
dead weight — dead′ weight′ or dead′weight′ n. 1) the heavy, unrelieved weight of anything inert 2) a heavy burden or responsibility • Etymology: 1650–60 … From formal English to slang
dead weight — n. 1. the weight of an inert person or thing 2. a heavy or oppressive burden 3. the weight of a vehicle without a load 4. DEAD LOAD … English World dictionary
dead-weight — deadˈ weightˈ noun 1. Unrelieved weight 2. Heavy and oppressive burden 3. Difference in a ship s displacement loaded and light • • • Main Entry: ↑dead … Useful english dictionary
dead weight tonnage — dead weight tonnage, or deadweight tonnage, the capacity in long tons of the cargo, crew, passengers, fuel, supplies, and spare parts of a merchant ship: »Dead weight tonnage in cargo ships almost always exceeds gross tonnage (New York Times) … Useful english dictionary
dead weight — noun 1. ) count something that is very heavy and difficult to lift or carry a ) someone who cannot be lifted easily because they are sleeping, unconscious, or dead 2. ) singular something that makes it difficult for development, progress, or… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
dead weight — UK / US noun Word forms dead weight : singular dead weight plural dead weights 1) a) [countable] something that is very heavy and difficult to lift or carry b) someone who cannot be lifted easily because they are sleeping, unconscious, or dead 2) … English dictionary
