barnacle
/ˈbɑrnəkəl/
noun
- A small sea creature with a hard shell that attaches itself tightly to rocks, ships, and other underwater surfaces.
- We scraped the barnacles off the pier to keep it clean.
- Barnacles can be a problem for ships because they slow them down.
- The bottom of the boat was covered in barnacles.
- A person or thing that clings to someone or something and is difficult to remove.
- He's a barnacle who never leaves his friend's side.
- The reporter became a barnacle on the politician's campaign.
- That old law is a barnacle on the legal system that should be repealed.