n. [ OE. loche, F. loche. ] (Zool.) Any one of several small, fresh-water, cyprinoid fishes of the genera Cobitis, Nemachilus, and allied genera, having six or more barbules around the mouth. They are found in Europe and Asia. The common European species (Nemachilus barbatulus) is used as a food fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

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 Loaden is obsolete, and laden belongs to lade.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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I strive all in vain to load the cart. Gascoigne. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have loaden me with many spoils. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those honors deep and broad, wherewith
Your majesty loads our house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To adulterate or drug; as, to load wine. [ Cant ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To magnetize. [ Obs. ] Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

Loaded dice, dice with one side made heavier than the others, so that the number on the opposite side will come up oftenest. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. (Arch.) Supporting a load{ 10 } from parts of a structure above; as, a load-bearing wall. [ prenominal ]
Syn. -- supporting(prenominal). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. containing as much or as many as is possible; -- of containers, vehicles, trays, etc.; as, a tray loaded with dishes
Syn. -- laden. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. containing a shell or an explosive charge ready for firing; -- of firearms. Opposite of unloaded. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. charged with associative significance and often meant to mislead or influence; -- of statements or questions; as, a loaded question.
WordNet 1.5 ]

4. having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value; as, She was not merely rich but loaded.
Syn. -- affluent, flush, moneyed, wealthy. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

5. very drunk. [ slang ]
Syn. -- blotto, crocked, fuddled, pissed, pixilated, plastered, potty, slopped, sloshed, smashed, soused, sozzled, squiffy, stiff, tiddly, tiddley, tight, tipsy, wet. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. One who, or that which, loads; a mechanical contrivance for loading, as a gun. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of putting a load on or into. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A load; cargo; burden. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large quantity; a lot; as, loads of fun. [ informal ] [ PJC ]

n. The act or process of disconnecting the electric current on certain lines when the demand becomes greater than the supply. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Loafed p. pr. & vb. n. Loafing. ] [ G. laufen to run, Prov. G. loofen. See Leap. ] To spend time in idleness; to lounge or loiter about. “ Loafing vagabonds.” W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]