An albatross around one’s neck 意為「無法擺脫的苦惱」，其中 albatross 是「信天翁」，複數為 albatrosses 或 albatross。這成語源自英國詩人柯勒律治 (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) 1798 年出版的敘事詩《古舟子詠》(或譯為《老水手之歌》)(The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)。
詩中的故事講述了一名老水手和同伴出海，但他們的帆船因風停而被困在大海中。老水手將此歸咎於一隻隨船飛行、通常被航海者視為好運象徵的信天翁，乃將其射殺。但帆船和船員從此噩運不斷，船員們認為這一切都是老水手殺死信天翁所招致的不幸，於是摘掉老水手脖子上的十字架改掛上死鳥以示老水手罪有應得。
例句：
- Robert bought the properties last year, hoping to make a profit out of reselling them; however, with the economic downturn, they have now become an albatross around his neck. (羅伯特去年買下那些房地產，希望轉售獲利；但由於經濟衰退，現在那些房地產已成為他無法擺脫的煩惱)
- The company that Tom founded three years ago is now an albatross around his neck, making losses of several hundreds of thousands a year. (湯姆三年前創立的那家公司，現在是他無法擺脫的苦惱，一年虧損幾十萬)
- Peter: I have wonderful news! I finally got divorced yesterday! (彼得：我有天大的好消息！我昨天終於離婚了！)
Sam: Congrats, man! Doesn’t it feel good to not have that albatross around your neck any more? (山姆：恭喜，老兄！現在不再有那個無法擺脫的苦惱，是不是覺得好棒？)