dead wood

== English == === Pronunciation === === Noun === dead wood (uncountable) (figuratively) Matters or things that have become unnecessary or otherwise useless; bloat, dead weight. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see dead,‎ wood. ==== Usage notes ==== Common in management jargon, where it often refers to excess personnel that is no longer (perceived to be) productive. Often paired with the verb cut out: I spent some time cutting out dead wood from my thesis and now the text reads much more coherently. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ====