Search
Select the dictionary language
yoke around one’s neck
01
a heavy and difficult situation or responsibility that someone has to deal with
Dialect
American
American
Idiom
InformalWhat is the origin of the idiom "yoke around one's neck" and when to use it?
The idiom "yoke around one's neck" draws from the literal image of a yoke, which is a wooden beam placed across the shoulders of oxen or other draft animals to harness them together for work. Figuratively, it is used to describe a burdensome or oppressive obligation, responsibility, or situation that feels like an onerous weight around one's neck.
Examples
He finally realized that he was in a toxic relationship, and he vowed to free himself from that yoke around his neck.
The massive student loan debt felt like a yoke around his neck, impacting his financial freedom.
