Hypertext Webster Gateway: "load"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Load \Load\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Loaded}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Loading}. Loaden is obsolete, and laden belongs to lade.]
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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Load \Load\, n. [OE. lode load, way; properly the same word as
lode, but confused with lade, load, v. See {Lade}, {Lead},
v., {Lode}.]
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. 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. That which burdens, oppresses, or grieves the mind or
spirits; as, a load of care. `` A . . . load of guilt.''
--Ray. `` Our life's a load.'' --Dryden.
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. The charge of a firearm; as, a load of powder.
6. Weight or violence of blows. [Obs.] --Milton.
7. (Mach.) The work done by a steam engine or other prime
mover when working.
{Load line}, or {Load water line} (Naut.), 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}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
load
n 1: weight to be borne or conveyed [syn: {loading}, {burden}]
2: a quantity that can be processed or transported at one time;
"the system broke down under excessive loads" [syn: {loading}]
3: goods carried by a large vehicle [syn: {cargo}, {lading}, {freight},
{loading}, {payload}, {shipment}, {consignment}]
4: (informal) an amount of alcohol sufficient to intoxicate;
"he got a load on and started a brawl"
5: the power output of a generator or power plant
6: an onerous or difficult concern; "the burden of
responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind" [syn: {burden},
{encumbrance}, {incumbrance}, {onus}]
7: a deposit of valuable ore occurring within definite
boundaries separating it from surrounding rocks [syn: {lode}]
8: the part of a missile or torpedo that carries the explosive
charge [syn: {warhead}, {payload}]
9: electrical device to which electrical power is delivered
v 1: fill or load; "load a car" [syn: {lade}, {laden}, {load up}]
2: provide with munition "He loaded his gun carefully" [syn: {charge}]
3: fill by packing tightly; "stow the cart" [syn: {stow}]
4: place a load on; "Load the cart with apples" [ant: {unload}]
5: put (something) on a structure or conveyance; "load the bags
onto the trucks"
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