subs. (colloquial).—1.  An excess of food or drink. Cf. JAG. LOADED = drunk: also LOADED FOR BEARS, or TO THE GUNWALES.

1

  1767.  RAY, Proverbs [BOHN (1893), p. 63]. He has a jag or LOAD, drunk.

2

  Verb. (horse-copers’).—1.  To introduce well-greased shot into the throat of a ‘roaring’ or broken-winded horse. This conceals the defect for a few hours, during which a sale is effected.

3

  1890.  Answers, 6 July, p. 81, col. 1. The process of LOADING a horse, as it is called, is one adopted by ‘horse-copers’—gentry who make a living by selling patched-up horses.

4

  2.  (stock exchange).—To buy heavily: TO UNLOAD = to sell freely.

5

  LOAD OF HAY, subs. phr. (rhyming slang).—A day.

6

  LIKE A LOAD OF BRICKS. See LIKE.

7

  TO LAY ON LOAD, verb. phr. (old).—To thrash.

8

  1537.  Thersites [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, i. 406].

        I will search for them both in bush and shrub,
And LAY ON A LOAD with this lusty club.

9

  c. 1550.  T. INGLELEND, The Disobedient Child [DODSLEY, Old Plays (1870), ii. 305]. [Here the Wife must LAY ON LOAD upon her Husband]—Stage direction.

10

  c. 1553.  WEVER, Lusty Juventus [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, ii. 87].

        But LAY LOAD on the flesh, whatsoever befall,
You have strength enough to do it with all.

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