{
    "term": "load",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "something that is being carried (usually in large amounts) by a person, vehicle, etc.",
            "sensetop": "load of something",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The trucks waited at the warehouse to pick up their loads."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The women came down the hill with their loads of firewood.",
                    "contextForm": "load of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "These backpacks are designed to **carry a heavy load**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A lorry **shed its load** *(= accidentally dropped its load)* on the motorway."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company's debt load could drag it into bankruptcy."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["heavy", "light", "full"],
                "verb + load": ["bear", "carry", "shoulder"],
                "preposition": ["under its, etc. load"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the total amount of something that something can carry or contain",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a busload of tourists"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They ordered three truckloads of sand."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He put half a load of washing in the machine."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The plane took off with a **full load**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Maximum load, including passengers, is 800 pounds."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["heavy", "light", "full"],
                "verb + load": ["bear", "carry", "shoulder"],
                "preposition": ["under its, etc. load"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the amount of weight that is pressing down on something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a load-bearing wall"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Modern backpacks spread the load over a wider area."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The table creaked under its heavy load."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["heavy", "light", "full"],
                "verb + load": ["bear", "carry", "shoulder"],
                "preposition": ["under its, etc. load"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a large number or amount of people or things; plenty",
            "sensetop": "a load/loads of somebody/somethinga load/loads to do",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She's got loads of friends.",
                    "contextForm": "a load/loads of somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He wrote **loads and loads** of letters to people."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Uncle Jim brought a whole load of presents for the kids."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We saw a load of houses before we bought this one."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They all had loads of fun at the park."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In my job I get the chance to meet loads of different people."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There's loads to do today.",
                    "contextForm": "a load/loads to do"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "used to emphasize that something is wrong, stupid, bad, etc.",
            "sensetop": "load of rubbish, garbage, nonsense, etc.",
            "labels": "(especially British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You're talking a load of rubbish."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "an amount of work that a person or machine has to do",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Teaching loads have increased in all types of school."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Extra warmth from sunlight can put an additional load on the air-conditioning system."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We're trying to spread the load by employing more staff."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "a feeling of responsibility or worry that is difficult to deal with",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She thought she would not be able to **bear the load** of bringing up her family alone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Knowing that they had arrived safely **took a load off my mind**."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "burden"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "the amount of electrical power that is being supplied at a particular time",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to tell somebody to look at or listen to somebody/something",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Get a load of that dress!"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ləʊd/",
                "audio": "lo/load/load__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ləʊd/",
                "audio": "lo/load/load__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English lād ‘way, journey, conveyance’, of Germanic origin: related to German Leite, also to lead; compare with lode. The verb dates from the late 15th cent."
}