weigh sb/sth down

Growing Doubts on Palin Take a Toll, Poll Finds
By MICHAEL COOPER and DALIA SUSSMANThough a focus on taxes is helping John McCain, Sarah Palin is weighing down the Republican ticket, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

weigh sb/sth down (LOAD) phrasal verb [M usually passive]
If someone or something is weighed down with something, they are carrying a lot of or too much of it:
Weighed down with supplies, they found the steep path difficult to climb.


weigh sb down (WORRY) phrasal verb [M usually passive]
to make a person feel worried and unhappy because of problems, responsibilities and duties:
I thought she looked somehow older, weighed down by all her new responsibilities.
Too much responsibility when too young can weigh down on a child.