cart-load

A farmer unloads a cart-load of hay into the barn.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The amount that a cart can carry: "cart-load" refers to the quantity or volume of goods, materials, or items that can be transported in a single load on a cart.
   • A large or abundant amount (figurative): Informally, "cart-load" is used to describe a very large quantity of something, often in exaggeration or emphasis.

Usage Examples

• Literal:

  • The farmer brought a cart-load of hay to the barn. (The amount of hay that filled one cart.)
  • They delivered a cart-load of bricks to the construction site. (The quantity of bricks that could be carried by a cart.)

• Figurative:

  • She has a cart-load of homework to do tonight. (An extremely large amount of homework, used hyperbolically.)
  • He earned a cart-load of money from that investment. (A very great sum of money, emphasizing abundance.)

Advanced Usage

• "a cart-load of trouble": a large amount of difficulty or problems.

  • Taking on that project brought him a cart-load of trouble. (It caused many serious issues.)

• "cart-loads of": used as a plural form to indicate multiple large quantities.

  • The warehouse received cart-loads of supplies every week. (Many full cart shipments.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cartful (n): an alternative word with the same meaning as "cart-load."

  • They brought a cartful of apples to the market. (The amount that fills a cart.)

• Cart (n): a vehicle with two wheels used for carrying loads, often pulled by a horse or other animal.

  • The cart was loaded with firewood. (The vehicle itself.)

• Load (n): the amount of something that is carried or transported.

  • The truck carried a heavy load of sand. (General term for a carried quantity.)

Synonyms

• Wagon-load: the amount that a wagon can carry (often used interchangeably with cart-load).
• Shipment: a quantity of goods sent together, though not necessarily by cart.
• Haul: the amount of something that is obtained or carried at one time.
  • The fishermen brought in a large haul of fish. (A catch or load.)

Related Idioms

• A cart-load of salt: an old expression meaning a very large amount of salt, used in the idiom "to take with a grain of salt" (to be skeptical), though this is rare.
  • He told a story that you should take with a cart-load of salt. (An exaggerated version of the common phrase, meaning to be very doubtful.)

Notes

• The hyphenated form "cart-load" is standard, though it is sometimes written as "cartload" (one word) in modern usage. Both are acceptable.