burden


burden (http://definr.com/burden)

     n 1: an onerous or difficult concern; "the burden of
          responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind" [syn: load,
           encumbrance, incumbrance, onus]
     2: weight to be borne or conveyed [syn: load, loading]
     3: the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
        [syn: effect, essence, core, gist]
     4: the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse
     v 1: weight down with a load [syn: burthen, weight, {weight
          down}] [ant: unburden]
     2: impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to; "He charged
        her with cleaning up all the files over the weekend" [syn:
         charge, saddle]