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Entry 13 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Load

/(lōd)/ · IPA /loʊd/
01 n. A burden; that which is laid on or put in anything for conveyance; that which is borne or sustained; a weight; as, a heavy load.
  1. 1.
    A burden; that which is laid on or put in anything for conveyance; that which is borne or sustained; a weight; as, a heavy load.
    “He might such a load To town with his ass carry.” — Gower.
  2. 2.
    The quantity which can be carried or drawn in some specified way; the contents of a cart, barrow, or vessel; that which will constitute a cargo; lading.
  3. 3.
    That which burdens, oppresses, or grieves the mind or spirits; as, a load of care.
  4. 4.
    A particular measure for certain articles, being as much as may be carried at one time by the conveyance commonly used for the article measured; as, a load of wood; a load of hay; specifically, five quarters.
  5. 5.
    The charge of a firearm; as, a load of powder.
  6. 6.
    Weight or violence of blows.[Obs.]
  7. 7.
    The work done by a steam engine or other prime mover when working.(Mach.)
  8. 8.
    The amount of work that a person, group, or machine is assigned to perform; as, the boss distributed the load evenly among his employees.
  9. 9.
    The device or devices that consume power from a power supply.(Elec.)
  10. 10.
    The weight or force that a structural support bears or is designed to bear; the object that creates that force.(Engineering)
Phrases & compounds
Load line — the line on the outside of a vessel indicating the depth to which it sinks in the water when loaded.
Syn. Burden; lading; weight; cargo. See Burden.
02 v. t. To lay a load or burden on or in, as on a horse or in a cart; to charge with a load, as a gun; to furnish with a lading or cargo, as a ship…
imp. & p. p. Loaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Loading
  1. 1.
    To lay a load or burden on or in, as on a horse or in a cart; to charge with a load, as a gun; to furnish with a lading or cargo, as a ship; hence, to add weight to, so as to oppress or embarrass; to heap upon.
    “I strive all in vain to load the cart.” — Gascoigne.
    “I have loaden me with many spoils.” — Shak.
    “Those honors deep and broad, wherewith Your majesty loads our house.” — Shak.
  2. 2.
    To adulterate or drug; as, to load wine.[Cant]
  3. 3.
    To magnetize.[Obs.]
Phrases & compounds
Loaded dice — dice with one side made heavier than the others, so that the number on the opposite side will come up oftenest.