ləud n. & v. --n. 1 a
what is carried or is to be carried; a
burden. b an
amount usu. or
actually carried (often in comb.: a busload of tourists; a lorry-load of bricks). 2 a
unit of
measure or
weight of
certain substances. 3 a burden or
commitment of
work,
responsibility,
care,
grief, etc. 4 (in
pl.;
often foll. by of) colloq.
plenty; a
lot. 5 a Electr.
the amount of
power supplied by a generating
system at
any given time. b
Electronics an
impedance or
circuit that receives or develops the
output of a
transistor or
other device. 6 the weight or force
borne by the supporting
part of a
structure. 7 a
material object or force
acting as a weight or
clog. 8 the
resistance of
machinery to
motive power. --v. 1 tr. a put a load on or
aboard (a
person,
vehicle,
ship, etc.). b
place (a load or cargo) aboard a ship, on a vehicle, etc. 2 intr. (often foll. by up) (of a ship, vehicle, or person)
take a load aboard, pick up a load. 3 tr. (often foll. by with) a
add weight
to; be a weight or burden
upon. b
oppress (a
stomach loaded with food). 4 tr. strain the bearing-capacity of (a
table loaded with food). 5 tr. (also load up) (foll. by with) a supply overwhelmingly (loaded us with work). b
assail overwhelmingly (loaded us with abuse). 6 tr.
charge (a firearm) with
ammunition. 7 tr.
insert (the required operating medium) in a device, e.g.
film in a
camera,
magnetic tape in a tape
recorder, a program
into a
computer, etc. 8 tr. add an
extra charge to (an
insurance premium) in the case of a poorer
risk. 9 tr. a weight with lead. b
give a
bias to (dice, a
roulette wheel, etc.) with weights. øget a load of sl.
listen attentively to;
notice. load-displacement (or -draught) the
displacement of a ship
when laden. load line a
Plimsoll line. [OE
lad way,
journey,
conveyance, f. Gmc: rel. to
LEAD(1), LODE]
