load

SayLOHD/loʊd/UK/ləʊd/

Pluralloads

Verbloads, loading, loaded

33 meanings of load

Practice

1
nouncountable
An amount of things carried or dealt with at one time, like one batch of washing.
Like one full cart of goods moved in a single trip.
I put a load of towels in the washer.
The truck carried a load of sand.
UsageSay a load of washing or a load of sand.
Similarbatch, consignment, shipment, cargo, lot
2
verbtransitive or intransitive
To put things into or onto a car, truck, ship, or container.
Like stacking boxes onto a cart before a trip.
We loaded the car with suitcases before the trip.
Please don't load the old table with heavy boxes.
UsageLoad boxes onto a truck, or load a truck with boxes.
Oppositeunload, empty
3
verbtransitive
To put a program or data into a computer's memory so it can be used, or to open up.
Like taking a book off a shelf and opening it on your desk.
The computer loads the game from the disk.
You can load the file into memory with one click.
UsageYou load a program, and a page loads.
Oppositeunload
Note
4
nouncolloquialcountableplural
A very large number or amount of something.
Like a huge pile of something, more than you can count.
He has a load of homework to finish tonight.
She got loads of presents for her birthday.
UsageSay loads of friends or a load of work. In formal writing, use many friends or a large amount of work.
Similarlot, heap, abundance, boatload, bucketload
5
nouncountable
Something heavy that someone has to carry.
Like a heavy backpack you carry on a long walk.
The donkey carried a heavy load up the hill.
She set down her heavy load and rested for a while.
UsageSay a heavy load, and carry a load.
Similarburden, weight, cargo, pack
Note
6
verbtransitive
To give a lot of something, more than is needed.
Like filling a plate so high the food almost falls off.
They loaded the table with food for the party.
Grandma likes to load our plates with extra dessert.
UsageLoad a plate with food.
Similarshower, heap, lavish, ply
7
fill gunverbtransitive
To put bullets or shells into a gun or cannon.
Like putting batteries into a flashlight before you can use it.
The hunter loaded his rifle before dawn.
Soldiers load their weapons before the morning drill.
UsageYou load a gun with bullets.
Similarcharge
Oppositeunload
8
work requirednouncountable
The amount of work that someone has to do.
Like having a big pile of tasks waiting on your desk.
His load at work doubled after the layoffs.
Nurses carry a heavy load during flu season.
UsageSay workload or teaching load.
Similarburden, work
9
force (structures)nouncountable or uncountable
The force or weight pressing on a part of a structure like a beam.
Like the weight pushing down on a shelf full of books.
The bridge was built to carry a heavy load.
Engineers checked that the beam could hold the load.
Similarweight, stress, force, pressure
Note
10
nouncountable
The act of moving data into memory or across a network.
Like the time it takes to pour water into a glass before you drink.
The page load was slow on my old phone.
A slow load can frustrate users.
UsageSay load time for how long a page takes.
Similartransfer
Note
11
verbtransitive
To put something into a machine so it is ready to work.
Like putting a new roll into a paper towel holder.
She loaded fresh paper into the printer.
You load the film into the camera in the dark.
UsageLoad paper into a printer, or load a printer with paper.
Similarinsert, put, feed
Oppositeunload, remove, eject
12
vehicle capacitynouncountablein compounds
Added after a vehicle name to mean the amount that vehicle can hold.
Like saying 'a bucketful' to mean as much as a bucket holds.
They dumped a whole truckload of sand in the driveway.
A busload of children arrived at the museum.
UsageWrite it as one word: truckload, carload.
Similarbusload
Note
13
circuit partnouncountable
A part of a circuit that uses up electric power.
Like a machine that uses up the electricity a wire brings to it.
A light bulb is a simple load in a circuit.
Each load draws power from the same battery.
Note
14
power outputnouncountable or uncountable
The electric power or current that a device supplies.
Like the amount of water a pump pushes out each second.
The generator can handle a big load without slowing down.
Too much load on the wire made it overheat.
Similaroutput, demand, draw
Note
15
nouncountable or uncountable
The force that pushes back against a machine doing work.
Like pushing a cart uphill, where the slope fights back against you.
The engine struggled under a heavy load going uphill.
A bigger load makes the motor work harder.
Similarresistance, drag
Note
16
verbtransitive
In baseball, to get runners onto first, second, and third base at the same time.
Our team needs one more hit to load the bases.
The pitcher loaded the bases by walking three players in a row.
UsageSay the bases are loaded when all three have runners.
Similarfill
Note

Less common meanings

17
mental burdennounfigurativelycountable
A worry or trouble that you carry in your mind.
Like a heavy backpack you carry, but the weight is your worries.
Telling the truth finally took a load off his mind.
She carried a heavy load of guilt for years.
UsageSay what a load off my mind when a worry goes away.
Similarburden, weight, strain, pressure
Note
18
verbtransitive
To change something secretly so it gives an unfair or wanted result.
Like setting up a game so one side is sure to win.
The lawyer loaded the question to push the witness toward a yes.
Don't load your survey questions if you want honest answers.
UsageOften used as loaded, as in a loaded question or loaded dice.
Similarrig, slant, skew, bias
19
gunpowder chargenouncountable
The gunpowder and shot put into a gun, ready to fire.
Like a single shot's worth of gunpowder packed and ready.
He packed a fresh load into the old musket.
The hunter kept a spare load in his pocket.
Similarcharge, round, cartridge
Note
20
burden with troubleverbtransitive
To weigh someone or something down with something bad.
Like piling more and more bags onto someone until they can barely move.
Try not to load the team with extra blame.
The boss loaded him with all the hard jobs.
UsageOften loaded with something bad: loaded with debt.
Similarburden, saddle, encumber, weigh, lumber
Oppositerelieve, free, unburden
Note
21
semennounslangvulgarcountable
The semen released during one ejaculation.
He shot his load and rolled over to sleep.
She wiped his load off the sheets.
UsagePeople say blow your load or dump a load.
Similarwad
Note
22
poopnounslangvulgarcountable
The solid waste passed in one trip to the bathroom.
The dog dropped a load on the sidewalk.
He went to drop a load before the meeting.
Similarmess, poop, dump
Note
23
verbPhilippines
In the Philippines, to buy credit for a cell phone or add more credit to it.
24
noun
An old unit for an amount of some goods, like hay or wood.
25
noun
How much virus is in a person's blood.
26
noun
A tiny trick explosive put inside a cigarette as a joke.
27
nounobsolete
How hard someone hits.
Far heavier load thyself expect to feel From my prevailing arm
1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
28
noun
Silly talk that makes no sense.
29
nounPhilippines
Money you add to a pay-as-you-go phone.
30
verb
To make a stick or whip heavier by putting lead in it.
31
verbarchaic
To secretly add a drug or cheap stuff to a drink.
32
verbarchaic
To make a piece of metal magnetic.
one oscillation of the loaded magnet,
1877, Charles A. Schott, Notes on Measurements of Terre Arial Magnetism
33
nounobsolete
A person who stays online all day long.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of load apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

This comes from Old English lād, meaning "way, journey, or carrying." The meaning "burden" appeared later, in the 13th century.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Load derives from Old English lād, whose meanings included way, journey, and carrying. en.wiktionary.org
The burden meaning appeared in the 13th century. en.wiktionary.org