dead weight noun 5adverb 1forms 1 noun5 •Unremitting heavy weight that does not move.His dead weight, as he abruptly collapses, pulls his lapels from her hands, reminding her to step back, off-balancing whoever is behind her, […] — 2003 •A dead load. •The total (unpowered) weight of a train to be propelled (or hauled) by the locomotive; another locomotive being hauled dead as part of the train is a dead weight.Having dropped the coach, the trio returned with the Class 47 leading and the other two locomotives as dead weight. — 2023 •(figurative) That which is useless or excess; that which slows something down.She wants to shed the dead weight of so many stacks of old clutter. •The largest weight of cargo a ship is able to carry; i.e., the weight of a ship when fully loaded minus its weight when empty. adverb1 •With just enough weight for a ball to drop into a pocket, or come to rest in a precisely determined position.He rolled the red in dead weight, and now he's nicely on the blue. formsdead weights
