[f. LOAD v. + -ING2.]
1. That loads.
1891. Labour Commission, Gloss., Loading-up Men, men at the docks who stop the bales from the cranes and pile them up on the trucks.
† 2. fig. Burdening, oppressive, aggravating. Obs.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Goodness (Arb.), 205. Such Men, in other mens Calamities, are, as it were, in season, and are euer on the loading Part.
1632. trans. Bruel’s Praxis Med., 2. The paine that doth seaze thereon [the brain], is farre duller, and more loading.
1642. S. Ashe, Best Refuge, 29. Our Patentees,… may justly be cast under this loading aggravation.
3. That is loaded in a specified way: in comb. with prefixed word, as BREECH-LOADING.
a. 1858. [see BREECH-LOADING].
1889. Sat. Rev., 16 March, 318/1. The relative effects of breech-loading and muzzle-loading rifle fire.
1902. Daily Chron., 15 April, 3/1. Daylight-loading cameras.
