albatross
A large seabird with very long wings found mainly in the Southern Ocean; figuratively, it refers to a heavy burden or a psychological weight that prevents success or causes constant worry. This metaphorical usage is common in business and politics to describe a persistent problem or liability.
أمثلة
3 من 5The sailors watched as a majestic albatross glided silently above the ship's mast.
The sailors watched as a majestic albatross glided silently above the ship's mast.
The massive pension deficit has become a financial albatross for the struggling corporation.
The massive pension deficit has become a financial albatross for the struggling corporation.
I need to sell this old house; it's becoming a bit of an albatross because of the maintenance costs.
I need to sell this old house; it's becoming a bit of an albatross because of the maintenance costs.
عائلة الكلمة
نصيحة للحفظ
Think of the 'A' in Albatross as an 'Anchor.' Both are heavy things that can be tied to you and prevent you from moving forward.
اختبار سريع
The failed project became an ___ around the department's neck, draining all their resources for years.
صحيح!
الإجابة الصحيحة هي: albatross
أمثلة
The sailors watched as a majestic albatross glided silently above the ship's mast.
everydayThe sailors watched as a majestic albatross glided silently above the ship's mast.
The massive pension deficit has become a financial albatross for the struggling corporation.
formalThe massive pension deficit has become a financial albatross for the struggling corporation.
I need to sell this old house; it's becoming a bit of an albatross because of the maintenance costs.
informalI need to sell this old house; it's becoming a bit of an albatross because of the maintenance costs.
Coleridge uses the albatross as a complex symbol of both nature's innocence and the weight of human guilt.
academicColeridge uses the albatross as a complex symbol of both nature's innocence and the weight of human guilt.
The unsuccessful acquisition proved to be an albatross around the CEO's neck during the board meeting.
businessThe unsuccessful acquisition proved to be an albatross around the CEO's neck during the board meeting.
عائلة الكلمة
تلازمات شائعة
العبارات الشائعة
albatross around the neck
a persistent burden or psychological weight
to kill the albatross
to commit an act that brings bad luck or deep guilt
a corporate albatross
a failing department or debt within a company
يُخلط عادةً مع
An albatross is much larger and lives in the open ocean, whereas seagulls are smaller and common near coasts.
Both mean a burden, but an albatross specifically implies a burden resulting from a past mistake or bad luck.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
Use 'albatross' when you want to emphasize that a problem is not just a nuisance, but a significant, long-term weight that hampers progress. It is most frequently used in the idiom 'an albatross around one's neck.'
أخطاء شائعة
Learners often use 'albatross' only to refer to the bird, missing its common metaphorical use in professional or literary English. Note that it is almost always used as a noun, never a verb.
نصيحة للحفظ
Think of the 'A' in Albatross as an 'Anchor.' Both are heavy things that can be tied to you and prevent you from moving forward.
أصل الكلمة
Originally from the Portuguese 'alcatraz' (meaning pelican or gannet), derived from the Arabic 'al-ghattas' (the diver).
أنماط نحوية
السياق الثقافي
The metaphorical meaning originates from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 1798 poem 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,' in which a sailor must wear a dead albatross around his neck as punishment for killing it.
اختبار سريع
The failed project became an ___ around the department's neck, draining all their resources for years.
صحيح!
الإجابة الصحيحة هي: albatross
كلمات ذات صلة
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
people
A1People refers to a group of human beings or the general public. It is the standard plural form of the word 'person'.
put
A1To move something into a particular place or position. It is a fundamental verb used to describe the act of placing an object or setting a situation in a specific location.
mean
A1To have a specific sense or significance, especially when explaining a word or sign. It can also describe a person's intention or the importance of something to someone.
keep
A1To continue to have or hold something in your possession or at your disposal. It also means to remain in a specific state, condition, or position without changing.
begin
A1To start doing something or for an event to happen for the first time. It is often used to describe the first point of a process or activity.
seem
A1To give the impression of being something or having a particular quality based on what you see or hear. It is used to describe an appearance or feeling that may or may not be the actual truth.
help
A1To make it easier for someone to do something by offering your services, resources, or support. It can involve physical effort, providing information, or giving money to assist a person or a cause.
talk
A1To speak in order to give information or express ideas, feelings, or thoughts. It typically involves a conversation between two or more people or a person addressing an audience.
start
A1To begin doing something or to cause something to happen for the first time. It is frequently used when talking about movements, journeys, or making a machine or engine begin to work.
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