loads
loads — noun
1. amounts of weight that vehicles, animals, or structures are carrying or supporti
amounts of weight that vehicles, animals, or structures are carrying or supporting.
The old bridge can no longer handle the loads from modern farm trucks.
loads on a structure
Two mules carried heavy loads up the narrow mountain path at dawn.
Warehouse robots move small loads between the packing tables all day.
The crane lifted steel loads from the barge onto the quay.
- empty weight
the weight without anything added
文法句型
heavy loads
carry loads
loads on a bridge
用法筆記
Common with transport, building, and lifting contexts. The focus is on the weight being carried or borne, not on the vehicle or animal itself.
常見錯誤
2. a very large amount of something, used in casual speech before 'of' plus a noun,
a very large amount of something, used in casual speech before 'of' plus a noun, or before a comparative to mean 'much'.
We've got loads of peaches from Aunt Rosa's tree this summer.
loads of + plural noun
Jabari felt loads better after the nurse cleaned the cut.
loads + comparative adjective
There were loads of children in the park after school ended.
I still have loads to do before my cousins arrive tonight.
- hardly any
shows that almost nothing is present
文法句型
loads of + noun
loads + comparative adjective
loads to do
用法筆記
Informal and common in speech. It is especially natural before 'of' plus a noun, and also before comparatives such as 'better' or 'more'.
常見錯誤
3. amounts of electrical demand that a power system, cable, or machine has to suppl
amounts of electrical demand that a power system, cable, or machine has to supply at a given time.
Summer air conditioners push evening loads to their highest level in August.
peak loads in a power system
The engineer checked whether the backup cable could carry both loads safely.
Hospitals keep generators ready for sudden peak loads during storms.
The control screen showed lower loads after three machines were switched off.
- demands
broader term for what a system must supply
- requirements
more general and less technical
- idle demand
a near-zero level of required power
文法句型
peak loads
electrical loads
carry loads safely
用法筆記
Used in electricity and systems planning. Here 'loads' refers to demand on the supply, not to objects being carried.
4. amounts of work or responsibility that people, teams, or departments are expecte
amounts of work or responsibility that people, teams, or departments are expected to deal with.
New nurses often carry heavy loads during the winter flu season.
carry heavy loads of work
If we split the phone calls, the afternoon loads will feel more manageable.
Each tutor kept lighter loads after the evening class was cut.
The department hired two assistants to reduce staff loads before exams.
- workloads
more direct and slightly more formal
- responsibilities
broader; may include duties beyond measurable work
- breaks
periods away from work rather than work itself
文法句型
heavy loads
share loads
teaching loads
用法筆記
Common in workplaces, schools, and hospitals. It often refers to duties spread across several people rather than one single task.
常見錯誤
5. painful or tiring problems and duties that weigh heavily on someone's mind or li
painful or tiring problems and duties that weigh heavily on someone's mind or life.
After the fire, the family faced financial loads as well as grief.
figurative burdens
No teenager should carry loads like that without adult help.
Therapy gave Eitan a safe place to talk about the loads on his mind.
The divorce left both parents with emotional loads they had hidden for years.
- reliefs
things that make a difficult situation easier
文法句型
carry loads
emotional loads
loads on someone's mind
用法筆記
More figurative than sense 4. The meaning is not simply 'work' but pressure, worry, or hardship that feels heavy to live with.
6. batches of clothes or similar items cleaned together in a single machine cycle.
batches of clothes or similar items cleaned together in a single machine cycle.
Hoa washed three loads before breakfast because the guests were arriving early.
do three loads in laundry
Dark towels should go in separate loads from the white sheets.
By Sunday night, the hostel held baskets from four laundry loads.
Dad forgot the last load, so two damp loads stayed in the machine overnight.
- batches
general word for groups processed together
- wash loads
clearer in technical or instructional writing
文法句型
do three loads
separate loads
loads of laundry
用法筆記
Used when counting washing-machine cycles. It refers to the batch of clothes, not to the act of washing itself.
常見錯誤
loads — verb
1. places many items onto transport or into equipment so they are ready to be moved
places many items onto transport or into equipment so they are ready to be moved or operated.
The farmer loads hay onto the trailer before the sun gets too hot.
loads + object + onto + vehicle
Our cook loads the dishwasher right after the lunch rush ends.
loads + household machine
Nadia loads the van with chairs for the school concert each Friday.
The ground crew loads suitcases into the plane while passengers wait inside.
- unloads
takes the things out again
文法句型
loads + object + onto/into + vehicle
loads + machine
用法筆記
The object is what gets put in or on something. For household machines, the machine itself can be the object ('loads the dishwasher').
常見錯誤
2. puts a person or thing under more weight, duties, or pressure than is easy to ma
puts a person or thing under more weight, duties, or pressure than is easy to manage.
The extra weekend shift loads Mei with more work than she can finish.
loads + person + with + work
Three suitcases loads the little scooter with more weight than it should carry.
The court case loads the family with months of stress and travel.
By harvest time, wet mud loads the workers' boots with extra weight.
- burdens
closest general synonym for adding weight or pressure
- weighs down
emphasizes the harmful effect more strongly
- relieves
makes the person or thing less burdened
文法句型
loads + person/thing + with + noun
be loaded with + burden
用法筆記
Often followed by 'with'. Unlike sense 1, the point here is the strain or pressure created, not simply the act of putting items somewhere.
3. puts a large amount of a substance, feature, or detail into something so that it
puts a large amount of a substance, feature, or detail into something so that it becomes full of it.
The cereal company loads each bar with sugar and artificial flavouring.
loads + product + with + ingredient
The free app loads every article with pop-up ads and blinking banners.
That museum guide loads the tour with dates but skips the human stories.
The baker loads the muffins with blueberries before the first tray goes in.
- strips
removes what had been added
文法句型
loads + object + with + substance
loads + content + with + detail
用法筆記
This sense often suggests excess. It is broader than sense 4 because the added thing does not have to be food served on top of a dish.
4. puts a generous amount of food on or over a dish so it is piled high or richly c
puts a generous amount of food on or over a dish so it is piled high or richly covered.
The chef loads the baked potato with cheese, beans, and spring onions.
loads + dish + with + toppings
Grandpa loads his pancakes with bananas and warm honey on Sundays.
The festival stall loads each taco with onions, coriander, and spicy sauce.
At lunch, Rita loads her plate with salad before anyone reaches the table.
- serves plain
offers the food without extra toppings
文法句型
loads + dish + with + toppings
loads + plate + with + food
用法筆記
Used especially for serving food. Distinguish from sense 3: here the object is a dish or serving surface, and the added items are edible toppings or portions.
常見錯誤
5. prepares a camera, gun, or similar device by inserting film, cartridges, or othe
prepares a camera, gun, or similar device by inserting film, cartridges, or other rounds.
The photographer loads fresh film into the camera before the wedding begins.
loads film into a camera
At the range, the instructor loads the rifle only after everyone steps back.
Mara loads the old projector with a new reel for film club night.
The soldier loads blank rounds into the training weapon for the drill.
- unloads
takes the film or rounds out
文法句型
loads + film into + camera
loads + gun + with + rounds
用法筆記
This sense is tied to devices that need something inserted before use. In everyday life it is common with cameras in older contexts and with firearms.
6. copies data, software, or media into a computer or digital device so it can be s
copies data, software, or media into a computer or digital device so it can be stored or used.
Leo loads the map file onto his tablet before the mountain hike.
loads + file onto + device
The receptionist loads patient records into the new system each morning.
Dad loads music from the USB drive onto the car screen for long trips.
The designer loads the font pack before opening the poster file.
- deletes
removes the file instead of putting it on the device
文法句型
loads + file/program onto + device
loads + data into + system
用法筆記
The object is the file, program, or data being transferred. Distinguish from sense 7, where the page or app itself appears on the screen.
常見錯誤
7. appears and becomes usable on a screen after the device or network has brought i
appears and becomes usable on a screen after the device or network has brought it into memory.
The school website loads quickly on my phone after the redesign.
page loads + adverb
Her banking app never loads when the train enters the tunnel.
Once the video room loads, the teacher checks that every camera works.
The game loads in seconds on newer laptops but drags on older ones.
- freezes
stops responding instead of appearing properly
文法句型
page loads
app loads slowly
screen loads in seconds
用法筆記
This sense describes the result on the screen. Distinguish from sense 6, where someone actively transfers data or software onto a device.
常見錯誤
8. creates a baseball situation where every base already has a runner on it.
creates a baseball situation where every base already has a runner on it.
A walk and two singles loads the bases before the clean-up hitter bats.
loads the bases
The hit-by-pitch loads the bases and silences the home crowd.
In the ninth, the rookie's grounder loads the bases with two outs.
One more patient at-bat loads the bases for the team's best slugger.
- fills the bases
plain explanation rather than the set baseball verb
- puts runners on all three
descriptive paraphrase
- clears the bases
removes runners by scoring or getting them out
文法句型
loads the bases
loads the bases with two outs
用法筆記
A baseball-specific sense, especially in American English. It names the action that creates runners on all three bases.