dead weight noun
plural ∼ weights 1 : something heavy that is being carried [count] ▪ The injured child was a dead weight in her arms. [noncount] ▪ carrying 150 pounds of dead weight 2 : someone or something that makes success more difficult [count] ▪ He was a dead weight on the team this year. [noncount] ▪ The company has a lot of dead weight [=deadwood] it needs to get rid of.
