load

1a : 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

2a : 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.

3a : 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.

6a : 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

8a : power output (as of a power plant) or power consumption (as by a device)

b : a device to which power is delivered

9a(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 microorganism, parasite, growth, or substance present in a human or animal body measure viral load in the blood the worm load in rats

— 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 : genetic load

Definition of load

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