What is the meaning of the idiom ball and chain?
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Lucas Ross
Works at the International Monetary Fund, Lives in Washington, D.C., USA.
As an expert in linguistics and idioms, I can provide you with a detailed explanation of the idiom "ball and chain."
The idiom "ball and chain" originally referred to a heavy weight attached to a prisoner's leg to restrict their movement. Over time, this term has come to be used figuratively to describe anything that feels like a burden or a restriction on one's freedom, particularly in the context of relationships. When someone says they feel like they have a "ball and chain," they are expressing a sense of being tied down or weighed down by a responsibility or obligation.
Here's the explanation with the key term highlighted: The ball and chain is an idiom that represents a feeling of being burdened or restricted, often in the context of personal relationships.
The idiom "ball and chain" originally referred to a heavy weight attached to a prisoner's leg to restrict their movement. Over time, this term has come to be used figuratively to describe anything that feels like a burden or a restriction on one's freedom, particularly in the context of relationships. When someone says they feel like they have a "ball and chain," they are expressing a sense of being tied down or weighed down by a responsibility or obligation.
Here's the explanation with the key term highlighted: The ball and chain is an idiom that represents a feeling of being burdened or restricted, often in the context of personal relationships.
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Works at the International Labour Organization, Lives in Geneva, Switzerland.
A burden and restraint, as in Karen regarded her job as a ball and chain, but she needed the money. The term, dating from the early 1800s, alludes to chaining a heavy iron ball to a prisoner's leg. Later it was transferred to other kinds of restraining burden. The American Heritage? Idioms Dictionary.
2023-04-14 09:47:41
Julian Turner
QuesHub.com delivers expert answers and knowledge to you.
A burden and restraint, as in Karen regarded her job as a ball and chain, but she needed the money. The term, dating from the early 1800s, alludes to chaining a heavy iron ball to a prisoner's leg. Later it was transferred to other kinds of restraining burden. The American Heritage? Idioms Dictionary.
