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 Loaden is obsolete, and laden belongs to lade.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 ]