unload

present singular third person unloads · participle present unloading · participle past unloaded · past unloaded

1. transitiveTo remove the load or cargo from (a vehicle, etc.).

   to unload a ship

   3 more examples

   to unload a camel

   A loader performs the important work of storing goods in the wagons and of unloading the wagons. In each case considerable skill is required to avoid breakage, and, in the case of loading, skill goes far to conserve wagon space.

   1944 March and April, T. F. Cameron, “The Working of Marshalling Yards and Goods Sheds”, in Railway Magazine, page 85

   In ten minutes, the first half of the train is unloaded, while Waddicor heads back, still at less than walking pace, to collect the second half. The pace of the reach stackers is impressive.

   2025 August 20, Paul Clifton, “A driver's eye view of East West Rail”, in RAIL, number 1042, page 35

   Synonyms: offload, download · Antonyms: load up

2. transitiveTo remove (the load or cargo) from a vehicle, etc.

   to unload bales of hay from a truck

   Synonyms: offload, download · Antonyms: load up

3. intransitiveTo deposit one's load or cargo.

   Some stations have collection vehicles unload on the floor, using a front loader to push material into the hopper.

   1998, Robert A Corbitt, Standard handbook of environmental engineering

4. figurativelyintransitivetransitiveTo give vent to or express; to unburden oneself of.

   to unload on someone

   2 more examples

   […] who bowled with such fury that he needed beer to give him something to sweat out, and who unloaded his emotions in words as hard as his bowling.

   1984, John Arlott, David Rayvern Allen, Arlott on cricket: his writings on the game

   Mr. Trump, who has a mounting list of legal troubles, clearly sees Mr. DeSantis as a political threat and has unloaded on him for months, mocking him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” and slamming his stewardship of Florida.

   2023 May 24, Nicholas Nehamas, “Ron DeSantis Joins 2024 Race, Hoping to Topple Trump”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

5. transitivecomputingTo remove (something previously loaded) from memory.

   When you unload a DLL, the memory and other system resources it is using will become available for use by other applications.

   1993, Tony Martin, Lisa C Towell, The NewWave agent handbook

6. transitiveTo discharge, pour, or expel.
7. transitiveTo get rid of or dispose of.
8. ambitransitiveidiomaticTo sell or dispose of (something) with the intent to deceive; to attempt to pass off a counterfeit or inferior product as genuine.

   Practically everything I possess was left to me by an American cousin, on the condition that I took the name of Carrados. He made his fortune by an ingenious conspiracy of doctoring the crop reports and unloading favourably in consequence.

   1914, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados

   Synonyms: offload, palm off, pawn off, pass off, foist, fob off

9. transitiveaeronauticsTo reduce the vertical load factor on (an airplane's wing or other lifting surface), typically by pitching downwards toward the ground to decrease angle of attack and reduce the amount of lift generated.

   1 more example

   Boeing's article stressed prioritizing roll control during recovery from nose-down bank upsets unless the airplane was in a stall condition; if the airplane was stalled, Boeing recommended recovering from the stall before recovering from the upset. The article described the nose-down upset recovery technique as follows: "Reduce angle of attack. This unloads the wing, allows the airplane to accelerate, which reduces rudder deflection and improves lateral control ability. […]"

   1999 March 24, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.18.10.2.3 1997 Through 1998—Information and Changes Disseminated by Boeing”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Uncontrolled Descent and Collision with Terrain, USAir Flight 427, Boeing 737-300, N513AU, Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1994, archived from the original on 04 Jun 2022, pages 205–206

10. transitiveTo deliver forcefully.
11. slangtransitiveTo ejaculate, particularly within an orifice.
12. transitiveTo remove the charge from; to discharge.

    He unloaded his revolver on the home invaders.

    1 more example

    He unloaded his revolver and put the cartridges away to be reloaded later.