Definition

1. Noun:

   • A heavy or bulky thing that is being carried or is about to be carried: The weight or mass placed on a vehicle, animal, or structure.
   • The total amount of something that can be or is carried at one time: The capacity or quantity of goods, passengers, or data.
   • A burden or responsibility: A weight of worry, duty, or obligation.
   • The amount of work done or power consumed by a machine or system: The demand placed on an electrical circuit, engine, or computer.
   • A quantity of something, often a large or excessive amount: An informal use meaning "a lot."

2. Verb:

   • To put a load on or into (something) for conveyance or operation: To place goods, cargo, or material onto a vehicle or into a machine.
   • To fill with a great quantity or burden: To put a large amount of something into or onto something else.
   • To insert the necessary operating materials into a device: To put film in a camera, ammunition in a gun, or data into a computer's memory.
   • To bias or weight unfairly: To manipulate a situation to favor one outcome.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • The truck's load was too heavy for the old bridge. (The cargo being transported was excessive.)
  • She felt a great load of responsibility after the promotion. (She felt a heavy burden of duty.)
  • The generator is operating at full load. (The generator is producing its maximum power output.)
  • He has loads of friends in the city. (He has a very large number of friends.)

• Verb:

  • Please help me load the boxes into the van. (Please help me put the boxes into the vehicle.)
  • He loaded the dishwasher after dinner. (He filled the dishwasher with dirty dishes.)
  • Remember to load the camera before the trip. (Remember to insert film into the camera.)
  • The dice were loaded, making the game unfair. (The dice were tampered with to control the result.)

Advanced Usage

• "A load off one's mind": A great relief from worry.
  • Finishing the project was a load off my mind.
• "Get a load of (something/someone)": An informal phrase meaning to look at or listen to something, often with surprise or interest.
  • Get a load of that fancy car!
• "Have a load on": Slang for being drunk.
  • He had a load on and couldn't drive home.

Variants and Related Words

• Loader (n): A person or machine that loads things.
  • The front-end loader moved the dirt quickly.
• Loading (n): The act of putting a load on something; the cargo itself.
  • The loading of the ship took all day.
• Unload (v): The opposite action; to remove a load.
  • We need to unload the groceries from the car.
• Overload (v/n): To put too great a load on something; an excessive load.
  • Do not overload the electrical circuit.

Synonyms

• Noun: Burden, cargo, freight, weight, capacity, consignment.
• Verb: Pack, fill, stack, charge, burden, heap.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Load up (on/with): To take or gather a large amount of something.
  • We loaded up on snacks for the road trip.
• Load down (with): To burden or weigh someone or something down.
  • They loaded him down with paperwork.

Related Idioms

• Load the dice (against someone): To arrange things unfairly against someone.
  • The strict rules load the dice against new competitors.
• Take a load off: An invitation to sit down and relax.
  • Come in and take a load off your feet.

Noun

1. electrical device to which electrical power is delivered
2. the front part of a guided missile or rocket or torpedo that carries the nuclear or explosive charge or the chemical or biological agents
3. a deposit of valuable ore occurring within definite boundaries separating it from surrounding rocks
4. an onerous or difficult concern
   • the burden of responsibility
   • that's a load off my mind
5. the power output of a generator or power plant
6. an amount of alcohol sufficient to intoxicate
   • he got a load on and started a brawl
7. goods carried by a large vehicle
8. a quantity that can be processed or transported at one time
   • the system broke down under excessive loads
9. weight to be borne or conveyed

Verb

1. corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
   • adulterate liquor
2. put (something) on a structure or conveyance
   • load the bags onto the trucks
3. transfer from a storage device to a computer's memory
4. provide (a device) with something necessary
   • He loaded his gun carefully
   • load the camera
5. fill or place a load on
   • load a car
   • load the truck with hay