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. [ 1913 Webster ]
He might such a load
To town with his ass carry. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
5. The charge of a firearm; as, a load of powder. [ 1913 Webster ]
6. Weight or violence of blows. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
7. (Mach.) The work done by a steam engine or other prime mover when working. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ PJC ]
9. (Elec.) The device or devices that consume power from a power supply. [ PJC ]
10. (Engineering) The weight or force that a structural support bears or is designed to bear; the object that creates that force. [ PJC ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]