yoke around neck

yoke around (one's) neck

An oppressive, debilitating burden. (A "yoke" in this context is a heavy frame or harness usually fitted around the necks of draft animals to pull carts, plows, or other loads.) I wish I had never bought that house. The mortgage on it has turned into a real yoke around my neck. He finally realized that he was in a toxic relationship, and he vowed to free himself from that yoke around his neck.

yoke around someone's neck

Fig. something that oppresses people; a burden. John's greedy children are a yoke around his neck. The Smiths have a huge mortgage that has become a yoke around their necks.