1
a
: the quantity that can be carried at one time by a specified means
especially
: a measured quantity of a commodity fixed for each type of carrier
—often used in combination
a boatload of tourists
b
: whatever is put on a person or pack animal to be carried : pack
donkeys with heavy loads
c
: whatever is put in a ship or vehicle or airplane for conveyance : cargo
The ship was carrying a load of automobiles.
especially
: a quantity of material assembled or packed as a shipping unit
2
a
: a mass or weight supported by something
branches bent low by their load of fruit
b
: the forces to which a structure is subjected due to superposed weight or to wind pressure on the vertical surfaces
broadly
: the forces to which a given object is subjected
Losing weight will lessen the load on your knees.
3
a
: something that weighs down the mind or spirits
took a load off her mind
b
: a burdensome or laborious responsibility
always carried his share of the load
4
slang
: an intoxicating amount of liquor drunk
5
: a large quantity : lot
—usually used in plural
The boy had loads of toys.
6
a
: a charge for a firearm
b
: the quantity of material loaded into a device at one time
7
: external resistance overcome by a machine or prime mover
8
a
: power output (as of a power plant) or power consumption (as by a device)
b
: a device to which power is delivered
9
a(1)
: the amount of work that a person carries or is expected to carry
his heavy load of day-to-day work—New York Times
(2)
: the amount of authorized work to be performed by a machine, a group, a department, or a factory
The washer can take a 10-pound load.
b
: the demand on the operating resources of a system (such as a telephone exchange or a refrigerating apparatus)
10
slang
: eyeful
—used in the phrase get a load of
Get a load of his new car.
11
: the amount of a deleterious or pathogenic agent, growth, or substance present in a human or animal body or test sample (as of blood or tissue)
Recent advances in our knowledge about how HIV replicates sprang from new technology able to measure viral load—the level of HIV—in the blood. … The higher a person's viral load, the faster he or she gets sick.—Discover
In patients with a heavy hepatic tumor load, liver transplantation may prolong useful life.—Scientific American Medicine Bulletin
Over time the worm load will damage the heart, shortening the dog's life.—Susan Sharpe
called also burden
12
: an amount added (as to the price of a security or the net premium in insurance) to represent selling expense and profit to the distributor
13
loaded; loading; loads
1
a
: to put a load in or on (a vehicle, animal, etc.)
load a truck with packages
workers loading a ship
—often used with upWe loaded up the car with all of our gear.
b
: to place (someone or something) in or on a means of conveyance
load cargo/passengers
We loaded the kids into the car.
2
a
: to encumber or oppress (someone or something) with something heavy, laborious, or disheartening : burden
a company loaded down with debts
b
: to place (something) as a burden or obligation
load more work on him
3
a(1)
: to place or be a material weight or physical stress on (something)
Grapes loaded down the vines.
… without that extra weight in the bed to load the springs and plant the tires on the road, the rear end of the unloaded pickup is free to hop about at will.—Slaton L. White
(2)
: to increase the weight of (something) by adding something heavy
… the cranes were mounted to a steel plate that was secured to the basement floor and loaded with ballast.—Richard High
b
technical
: to add a substance (such as a mineral salt) to (something) to improve a property (such as texture or fullness)
… a method for preparing loaded paper pulp for use in the manufacture of paper …—Targeted News Service
c
: to weight or shape (dice) to fall unfairly
d
: to fill (something) with one-sided or prejudicial influences : bias
Large EU states have served notice that they want to alter the majority voting quotas which load the system in favour of smaller states.—The Times (London)
see also loaded sense 4b
e
: to charge (words, questions, etc.) with multiple meanings (such as emotional associations or hidden implications)
Sometimes, however, intensity loads a word to such an extent that it needs explaining.—Lidia Vianu
see also loaded sense 4a
f
: to weight (something, such as a test or survey) with factors influencing validity or outcome
… the phrasing of the options was so heavily loaded in favor of closure that it had no research value.—Tom Kaliche
4
b
: to put runners on (first, second, and third bases) in baseball
The pitcher loaded the bases by walking three batters.
5
a
: to put a load or charge in (a device or piece of equipment)
load a gun
b
: to place or insert (something) especially as a load in a device or piece of equipment
loaded the clothes into the washing machine
load film in a camera
c
: to cause (a program, data, etc.) to be copied or transferred (as from the Internet or a disk drive) into memory for use or display on a digital device
Load a new program or game onto your hard disk, and you must run an installation program that decompresses the information held on the floppy disks.—Paul C. Schuytema
d
: to put a supply of funds or resources into (an account, a gift card, etc.)
She was told to go to the Dollar General Store and load a Google Play gift card with $100.—The Times Reporter (New Philadelphia, Ohio)
6
: to alter (something, such as an alcoholic drink) by adding an adulterant or drug
7
a
: to add a load to (an insurance premium)
b
: to add a sum to (something, such as a selling price) after profits and expenses are accounted for
1
: to receive a load
waited while the truck finished loading
2
: to put a load on or in a carrier, device, or container
specifically
: to insert the charge or cartridge in the chamber of a firearm
… eight men manning gaps between the wagons were trained to fire and load in rotation. —Richard Rhys Jones
3
: to go or go in as a load
tourists loading onto a bus
4
: to become copied or transferred (as from the Internet or a disk drive) into memory for use or display on a digital device
The app loads quickly.
One of the images won't load.
loader
noun
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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