dead weight

  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

See dead weight in American Heritage Dictionary 4

or dead·weight

noun
  1. The unrelieved weight of a heavy, motionless mass.
  2. An oppressive burden or difficulty.
  3. Abbr. DW The fixed weight of a structure or piece of equipment, such as a bridge on its supports. Also called dead load.

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