a cross to bear

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a cross (somebody has) to bear (British & Australian) also a cross (somebody has) to carry (American & Australian)

an unpleasant situation or responsibility that you must accept because you cannot change it

Usage notes: In the past, criminals were made to carry crosses as a form of punishment.

Someone has to look after mother and because I live the closest it's a cross I have to bear.

See also: bear, cross

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THIS guy really does have a cross to bear - a trek from Galway to Bangor to spread the word of God. THE BIG PICTURE by The Mirror (London, England) Great comedians, whatever gifts they were given, were given with one hand and they were given a cross to bear with the other. They say; On the web by Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England) And to lose three-first choice midfielders ahead of a tussle with a midfield of Premiership quality is a heck of a cross to bear. Football: Woeful Walsall no match for Harry's boys by The Racing Post (London, England)			a clean break a clean sheet a clean slate a clean sweep a clever clogs a clever dick a close call a close shave a cloud on the horizon a cock-and-bull story a coffee table book a cog in the machine a cold fish a cold snap a Colonel Blimp a contradiction in terms a conversation piece a cool customer a cool head a couch potato a coup de grâce a cradle-robber a cradle-snatcher a credibility gap a crock a cross to bear a crowd-puller a cry-baby a cuckoo in the nest a culture shock a culture vulture a curate's egg a cut above a cut above average a damp squib a dark horse a day late and a dollar short a dead duck a dead end a dead letter a dead ringer for a dead weight a Dear John letter a death blow a death trap a designated driver a deus ex machina a diamond in the rough a different ball of wax a dime a dozen a dirty old man			A Coruña A Coruña A Corunha A Corunna a couch potato a count a count a count a count a count A counterexample related to Fubini's theorem A Counties A County a coup de grâce a couple of A Course in Miracles A Course in Miracles International a crack at someone a crack at something A Crack in Time a cradle-robber a cradle-snatcher A CRASH PLAN A Crazy Reminder Of Names You Misplaced :-) A Crazy Roundup of Nonsense You Must See A creaking gate hangs longest a credibility gap a crock A Cross Reference Of Notes Yielding Messages :-) a cross to bear a cross to carry A Crow Left of the Murder a crowd-puller A Crown of Swords a Crucis A Cry for Help A Cry for Help a cry-baby A Cryptic Reminder Of Names You Meet :-) A Cryptic Rendition Of Names You Might See :-) a cuckoo in the nest A Cult Called Karrianna a culture shock a culture vulture A Cup of Something Wonderful A Curate's egg A Curate's egg a curb-crawler A Current Affair A Curriculum for Children's Effective Peer and Teacher Skills A Curriculum for Excellence a cut above a cut above average A cut in rates a damp squib A Dance with Dragons

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