Nota: A tradução desta entrada está atualmente em revisão de qualidade, portanto parte do conteúdo é exibida temporariamente apenas em inglês.
Este verbete ainda não foi traduzido para o seu idioma, portanto o original é exibido abaixo.
beast of burden
This term carries a strong connotation of servitude and exhaustion. When applied to animals, it is a descriptive classification of utility, focusing on the physical capacity to endure heavy loads. It evokes images of rural labor and traditional agriculture.
When applied to humans, the phrase is purely metaphorical and highly critical. It suggests a total loss of agency or dignity, reducing a person to a tool of labor. In this context, it is often used to highlight systemic oppression or the dehumanizing nature of grueling, repetitive work.
Meanings
Examples
The donkey has been a reliable beast of burden for the farmer for ten years.
Camels are the ideal beast of burden for crossing the vast desert sands.
In the ancient empire, the ox was the primary beast of burden used for plowing fields.
I feel like a mere beast of burden in this office, doing all the grunt work while others take the credit.
I feel like a mere beast of burden in this office, doing all the grunt work while others take the credit.
He spent his youth as a beast of burden in the mines, hauling heavy ore every single day.
Look at that poor mule, a tired beast of burden struggling under the weight of those crates.
The king viewed his subjects as nothing more than beasts of burden to build his monuments.
Why should I be the only beast of burden in this project? We need to share the workload.