pay load

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The carrying capacity of a vehicle: "payload" refers to the total weight of passengers, cargo, or equipment that a vehicle (such as an aircraft, spacecraft, or truck) can carry, excluding the weight of the vehicle itself and its fuel.
   • The explosive charge in a missile: "payload" also denotes the amount of explosive material carried by a missile, rocket, or warhead.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The new cargo plane has a maximum payload of 50 tons. (The total weight of goods it can transport.)
  • The missile's payload was designed to destroy a large target. (The explosive charge in the warhead.)

Advanced Usage

• "Payload capacity": the maximum weight a vehicle can carry.

  • The truck's payload capacity is limited to 10,000 pounds. (The upper limit of cargo weight.)

• "Payload fairing": a protective covering used to shield a spacecraft's payload during launch.

  • The rocket's payload fairing separated successfully after reaching orbit. (The protective cover detached.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pay (v): to give money in exchange for goods or services.

  • You must pay for your ticket before boarding. (Settle the cost.)

• Load (n): a heavy or bulky thing that is being carried.

  • The truck carried a load of bricks. (A quantity of goods.)

Synonyms

• Cargo: goods carried by a ship, aircraft, or vehicle.
• Freight: goods transported in bulk.
• Warhead: the explosive part of a missile (specific to the weapons sense).

Phrasal Verbs

(No common phrasal verbs directly derived from "payload.")

Related Idioms

(No common idioms directly derived from "payload.")