sth carried
1 [C] something that is being carried (usually in large amounts) by a person, vehicle, etc:
The trucks waited at the warehouse to pick up their loads. * The women came down the hill with their loads of firewood. * These backpacks are designed to carry a heavy load. * A lorry shed its load (= accidentally dropped its load) on the motorway.
2 [C] (often in compounds) the total amount of sth that sth can carry or contain:
a busload of tourists * They ordered three truckloads of sand. * He put half a load of washing in the machine. * The plane took off with a full load.
weight
3 [C,usually sing.] the amount of weight that is pressing down on sth:
a load-bearing wall * Modern backpacks spread the load over a wider area.
large amount
4 [sing.] (BrE also loads [pl.]) ~ (of sth) (informal) a large number or amount of sb/sth; plenty:
She's got loads of friends. * There's loads to do today. * He wrote loads and loads of letters to people. * Uncle Jim brought a whole load of presents for the kids. * We saw a load of houses before we bought this one.
rubbish / nonsense
5 [sing.] ~ of rubbish, garbage, nonsense, etc. (spoken, especially BrE) used to emphasize that sth is wrong, stupid, bad, etc:
You're talking a load of rubbish.
work
6 [C] an amount of work that a person or machine has to do:
Teaching loads have increased in all types of school. * Extra warmth from sunlight can put an additional load on the air-conditioning system.
seealsoCASELOAD, WORKLOAD
responsibility / worry
7 [C,usually sing.] a feeling of responsibility or worry that is difficult to deal with:
She thought she would not be able to bear the load of bringing up her family alone. * Knowing that they had arrived safely took a load off my mind.
electrical power
8 [C] the amount of electrical power that is being supplied at a particular time
IDIOMS
get a load of sb/sth (spoken) used to tell sb to look at or listen to sb/sth:
Get a load of that dress!
