albatross
Massive soaring seabird
An albatross is a large seabird with exceptionally long wings, capable of gliding vast distances over open ocean.
Figuratively, an albatross is a burden that weighs on someone, from the Coleridge poem where a sailor must wear a dead albatross around his neck as punishment: Student debt has become an albatross for an entire generation.
In golf, an albatross is three strokes under par on a hole—rarer than an eagle.
Seldom found or seen
- scorecardRecord of play
- parExpected stroke count
- hole-in-oneSingle-stroke completion
- condorGiant New World vulture
eagle · birdie · links · achievement · scoring
Tip-to-tip extent
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- pelagicOf the open sea
- migrationMovement to new territory
- soaringRising effortlessly upward
nesting · plumage · feathers · colony · wandering · Midway · fledgling · bill
English Romantic verse-maker
- marinerOne who navigates ships
- omenProphetic indicator
- symbolismRepresenting concepts through images
- guiltMoral self-reproach
penance · crossbow · supernatural · curse · seafaring · killing · necklace · redemption
Grain-crushing circular stone
- encumbranceHindrance or legal claim
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- obstacleSomething blocking the way
curse · liability · handicap · impediment · drag · shackle · baggage · yoke
Tip-to-tip extent
- soaringRising effortlessly upward
- gracefulElegant in movement
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- magnificentExceptionally beautiful or impressive
effortless · elegant · oceanic · windswept · awe-inspiring · sublime · noble · regal
rare
Seldom found or seen
- scorecardRecord of play
- parExpected stroke count
- hole-in-oneSingle-stroke completion
wingspan
Tip-to-tip extent
soaring · nesting · plumage · feathers · colony · wandering · Midway · fledgling · bill · oceanic
Coleridge
English Romantic verse-maker
guilt · penance · crossbow · supernatural · curse · seafaring · killing · necklace · redemption · allegory
millstone
Grain-crushing circular stone
- encumbranceHindrance or legal claim
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- hindranceBarrier to progress
obstacle · curse · liability · handicap · impediment · drag · shackle · baggage · yoke · anchor
wingspan
Tip-to-tip extent
magnificent · effortless · elegant · oceanic · windswept · awe-inspiring · sublime · noble · regal · vast
- seabirdspenguin, penguins, pelican, pelicans, seagull
- Monty PythonMonty Python, Eric Idle, Holy Grail, John Cleese, Life of Brian
- open oceanopen ocean, twilight zone, midnight zone, surface water, water column
- SubantarcticSouth Georgia, king penguin, fur seal, elephant seal, petrel
- animalscat, dog, bird, fish, cow
- birdsrobin, crow, eagle, owl, duck
- albatross around one's neckPersistent source of guilt
- albatross round one's neckPersistent psychological burden