Definition

1. Noun:
   • The amount of cargo that can be held by a freight car: This meaning refers to the quantity of goods that fills a railroad car or a large vehicle.
   • A gathering of passengers sufficient to fill an automobile: This meaning refers to a number of people that fills a car, typically a passenger vehicle.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Cargo):

  • The factory shipped a carload of machinery to the port.
  • We ordered a carload of gravel for the construction project.

• Noun (Passengers):

  • We packed a carload of kids into the minivan for the soccer game.
  • A carload of tourists arrived at the hotel.

Advanced Usage

• "by the carload": in large quantities or numbers.
  • During the sale, customers were buying electronics by the carload.

Variants and Related Words

• Boatload (n): a large amount, similar in structure to "carload" but referring to a ship's capacity.
  • He told boatloads of funny stories.
• Truckload (n): the amount of cargo that fills a truck.
  • They delivered a truckload of supplies.

Synonyms

• Freight load: the cargo carried by a vehicle.
• Carful: an amount that fills a car (more common for passengers or loose items).

Related Phrases

• A full car: a simpler phrase meaning a car filled with people or things.
  • They arrived in a full car.

Noun

1. the amount of cargo that can be held by a boat or ship or a freight car
   • he imported wine by the boatload
2. a gathering of passengers sufficient to fill an automobile