load
lohd
Load (verb) means to put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage. Example: “They loaded the boxes onto the truck.”
verb
1
To put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage.
"They loaded the boxes onto the truck."
"Can you help me load the dishwasher?"
"Please load the suitcases into the boot before we leave."
2
To fill a weapon with ammunition, ready it can be fired.
"He loaded the rifle before heading out."
"The re-enactors loaded their muskets before the crowd arrived."
"Soldiers in the old fort loaded the cannon for the ceremonial salute."
3
To transfer data or a program from storage into a computer's working memory, or for a webpage/app to open and become ready.
"The file took ages to load."
"Wait for the page to fully load before clicking anything."
"The game is slow to load on my old laptop."
noun
1
The amount of something being carried, supported, or dealt with.
"The bridge can't handle that much load."
"She's got a heavy workload this month."
"The lorry was carrying a heavy load of timber."
How to use load
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo put something onto/into a vehicle, weapon, or computer program — or, as a noun, the amount being carried.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
load up
load a truck
load a page
workload
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Word forms
- Plural
- loads
- Third person singular
- loads
- Past tense
- loaded, loaden
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They _____ the boxes onto the truck.
Etymology
Originally from Old English lād, "way, course, journey" — the "burden" meaning branched off in Middle English by association with the unrelated verb "lade."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for load
See all rhymes for load →Frequently asked questions
What does “load” mean?
The word “load” means to put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage. In plain terms, to put something onto/into a vehicle, weapon, or computer program — or, as a noun, the amount being carried.
How do you pronounce “load”?
“Load” is pronounced lohd (/loʊd/ in IPA).
How do you use “load” in a sentence?
Here is “load” used in a sentence: “They loaded the boxes onto the truck.”
What part of speech is “load”?
Depending on how it is used, “load” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “load” come from?
The word “load” comes from Old English. Originally from Old English lād, "way, course, journey" — the "burden" meaning branched off in Middle English by association with the unrelated verb "lade.".
Is “load” a common word?
“Load” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “load” have?
“Load” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to put a quantity of goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage.
What is the difference between 'load' and 'unload'?
They are opposites. To load is to put goods, cargo, or material onto or into something for transport or storage, like loading boxes into a van. To unload is the reverse: taking that cargo back out and emptying the vehicle or container. You load at the start of a trip and unload at the end.
What is an example of loading something?
Everyday examples include loading groceries into the trunk of a car, loading pallets onto a truck with a forklift, and loading cargo containers onto a ship. On a smaller scale, you might load laundry into a washing machine or load logs onto a cart, filling it for transport or storage.
What is the opposite of load?
The direct opposite is unload, meaning to remove what was put on or in. Related words include empty, unpack, and offload. For instance, dockworkers load a ship in one port and unload it in another, and a delivery driver loads the van in the morning and offloads parcels all day.
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