dead wood
Fallen branches decaying
Dead wood is literally branches or trees that have died and dried out.
Figuratively, it refers to people or things that are no longer useful or productive: The new manager cleared out the dead wood.
Also spelled as one word: deadwood.
Unforeseen complications
- brushBristled cleaning tool
- slashAngled line or swipe
- windfallUnanticipated lucky gain
- blowdownWind-felled trees
nurse log · trunk · limbs · twigs · bark · rot · decay · decomposition
Those who avoid effort
- passengersTransported travelers
- underperformersThose achieving below potential
- layaboutsIdle, unproductive people
- freeloadersPeople exploiting others' generosity
unproductive · liability · overhead · ineffective · surplus · excess · idle · stagnant
Material for starting fires
- logsCut wood sections
- cordwoodWood sold by volume
- hardwoodDense deciduous timber
- softwoodConiferous tree lumber
seasoned · unseasoned · burning · campfire · fireplace · woodstove · fuel · heat
Outdated but essential technology
- relicPreserved ancient object
- dinosaurExtinct Mesozoic reptile
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- archaicBelonging to earlier times
defunct · abandoned · decommissioned · mothballed · disused · vestigial · anachronism · bygone
snags
Unforeseen complications
blowdown · nurse log · trunk · limbs · twigs · bark · rot · decay · decomposition · fungi
slackers
Those who avoid effort
- passengersTransported travelers
- underperformersThose achieving below potential
- layaboutsIdle, unproductive people
freeloaders · unproductive · liability · overhead · ineffective · surplus · excess · idle · stagnant · burdensome
kindling
Material for starting fires
softwood · seasoned · unseasoned · burning · campfire · fireplace · woodstove · fuel · heat · flame
legacy systems
Outdated but essential technology
- relicPreserved ancient object
- dinosaurExtinct Mesozoic reptile
- antiquatedOld and outdated
archaic · defunct · abandoned · decommissioned · mothballed · disused · vestigial · anachronism · bygone · superannuated
- forest debristwigs, pine needles, fallen logs, rotting logs, rotting log
- bug hotel partspine cones, hollow stems, moss, twigs, log piles
- forest floorfallen leaves, leaf litter, rotting logs, pine needles, fallen logs
- tree problemscrack, dieback, rot, wound, scar
- wildlife habitatwildlife corridor, pollinator garden, wildflower meadow, hedgerow, native plants
- pollinator habitatsbee gardens, butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, wildflower meadows, bee hotels
dead woodlifeblood
Essential animating element
key players · essential workers · core team · go-getters · movers and shakers