dead weight
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The weight of something without life; a burden that does nothing to- wards easing its own weight; a person who encumbers us and renders no assistance. Cp. DEAD LIFT.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dead weight” mean?
The weight of something without life; a burden that does nothing to- wards easing its own weight; a person who encumbers us and renders no assistance. Cp. DEAD LIFT.
Is “dead weight” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.