load
UK[ləʊd]US[loʊd]
v
To put a large quantity of something onto or into something such as a vehicle, container, or machine.
v
To put a necessary item such as ammunition, film, or software into a device so it is ready to use.
n
Something that is being carried, often in large amounts, or the amount that can be carried.
n
The weight or responsibility that is carried or borne by someone or something.
Etymology
The word 'load' originates from the Old English 'lād', which broadly signified a 'way, journey, or course', and by extension, the act of carrying or a burden carried on a journey. This Old English term is traced back to the Proto-Germanic 'laidō', also meaning 'way, journey', and further to the Proto-Indo-European root 'leit-', meaning 'to go forth, die'. The semantic evolution is clear: from the general concept of a 'path' or 'journey', the meaning specialized to focus on what is carried during that journey—the burden or cargo. This shift from the action (the journey) to the object (the cargo) solidified in Middle English, giving us the modern senses pertaining to weight, freight, and responsibility.
Analysis
The modern English word 'load' is a simplex word derived from the Old English noun 'lād', meaning 'way, journey, course, carrying'. Its functional role is as a complete lexical root.
Examples
They helped us load the furniture onto the truck.
Don't forget to load the dishwasher before you start it.
The bridge was closed due to the excessive load it was bearing.