vbl. sb. [f. LADE v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of the verb LADE; the loading of a ship with its cargo; the bailing or ladling out of water, etc. Bill of lading (see BILL sb.3 10).
1500. Galway Arch., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 391. In lading and discharding of his goodes … into forayn realmis.
1661. Feltham, Resolves, Lusoria, xxxv. (1677), 32. Must we haue fire still glowing under us, Only that we with constant Lading may Keep our selues cool?
1743. Lond. & Country Brewer, II. (ed. 2), 121. Where the Water is put over by the Hand-bowl, or what is called Lading over.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 589. The transfer of the glass into the cuvettes, is called lading.
2. concr. That with which a ship is laded; freight, cargo. † Also transf. (see quots. 1611, 1621).
1526. Tindale, Acts xxvii. 10. Syrs, I perceave that thys vyage wilbe with hurte and domage, not off the ladynge and shippe only: but also off oure lyues.
1611. Cotgr., Prendre son sel, to swill, quaffe, caroose; to take in his lading, or his liquor, to the full.
1621. Molle, Camerar. Liv. Libr., V. xiii. 369. Drunkards … when they haue their lading of wine.
1669. Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1694), 7. With much ado I got off a boats lading of Water. Ibid. (1670), (1711), 91. I was bound for China, and … had rich Lading for that Country.
1709. Lond. Gaz., No. 4598/4. Two Ships lading of … Russia Rhine Hemp.
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xxi. (1857), 303. A small sloop … entered the frith, to take in a lading of meal.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, II. 169. The crews were saved, but much of the lading was lost or damaged.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 184. A lading of great rarities.
fig. 1850. Tennyson, In Mem., xxv. When mighty Love would cleave in twain The lading of a single pain.
† 3. A place where cargoes are laded. Obs.
1594. Norden, Spec. Brit., Essex (Camden), 10. It is inuironed with creekes, which leade to certayne ladinges, as to Landymer lading … wher they take in wood.
4. attrib. and Comb., as lading-can (dial.), † gin, hole, utensil, well.
1886. Cheshire Gloss., *Lading can, a small tin can, containing two or three quarts, used for taking hot water out of a boiler. [Common in the north midlands and Yorkshire.]
1497. Nav. Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 103. *Lading gynne … j. Ibid., 104. Lading gynnes … iij.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 589. Glass-making, In this operation [‘lading’] ladles of wrought iron are employed, which are plunged into the pots through the upper openings or *lading holes.
1872. Hardwick, Trad. Lanc., 189. The only *lading or baling utensil employed by the miserable sinner should be a limpet shell.
1769. Johnson, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 14 Aug. The *lading-well in this ill-fated George Lane lies shamefully neglected.
