unload

[ uhn-lohd ]

/ ʌnˈloʊd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR unload ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to take the load from; remove the cargo or freight from: to unload a truck; to unload a cart.

to remove or discharge (a load, group of people, etc.): to unload passengers.

to remove the charge from (a firearm).

to relieve of anything burdensome, oppressive, etc.: He unloaded his responsibilities.

to get rid of (goods, shares of stock, etc.) by sale in large quantities.

verb (used without object)

to unload something.

Informal. to relieve one's stress by talking, confessing, or the like.

Nearby words

Origin of unload

First recorded in 1515–25; un-² + load

Related formsun·load·er, nounself-un·load·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for unload

A punching bag as treasury secretary, Geithner finally gets to unload in ‘Stress Test.’
Speed Read: The Juiciest Bits From Timothy Geithner’s New Memoir|William O’Connor|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After the exam, they often invite applicants to unload any mental burdens they might be carrying.
On Polygraph Tests, Would-Be Border Patrol Agents Confess to Crimes|Andrew Becker|April 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I have the sense that Palin would really like to unload on Mitt and campaign for Newt.
Palin’s Delicate Dance with Newt|Howard Kurtz|February 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Which is why it was refreshing to see former Utah governor Jon Huntsman unload on rivals for appealing to the fringes.
Paging Reasonable Republicans|Mark McKinnon|August 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST

And if you know you won't be traveling before those miles expire, this is a great way to unload them for a good cause.
Don't Be a Scrooge!|The Daily Beast|December 16, 2009|DAILY BEAST
They went to unload shakes and poles for stable from a barge.
An Artilleryman's Diary|Jenkin Lloyd Jones
A ship came into Sydney Harbour and stevedores were enlisted to unload it.
Fifty-One Years of Victorian Life|Margaret Elizabeth Leigh Child-Villiers, Countess of Jersey
Cynically, they checked to see who might be preparing to unload stock.
Operation: Outer Space|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
“Another league,” Count Hannibal muttered; and he bade the men light fires where they were, and unload the packhorses.
Count Hannibal|Stanley J. Weyman
One night father hurried in without even waiting to unload or water his team.
The Log-Cabin Lady, An Anonymous Autobiography|Unknown

British Dictionary definitions for unload

unload

/ (ʌnˈləʊd) /

verb

to remove a load or cargo from (a ship, lorry, etc)

to discharge (cargo, freight, etc)

(tr) to relieve of a burden or troubles

(tr) to give vent to (anxiety, troubles, etc)

(tr) to get rid of or dispose of (esp surplus goods)

(tr) to remove the charge of ammunition from (a firearm)

Derived Formsunloader, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for unload

unload

1520s, in reference to cargo, from un- (2) + load (v.). Figurative sense (in reference to feelings, etc.) is recorded from 1590s. Related: Unloaded; unloading.

unload

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of unload

Examples from the Web for unload

unload

verb

unload