Unlade

v. [UN-² 4. Cf. OE. onhladan, OHG. intladen, MHG., MLG., G. entladen, MDu. and Du. ontladen.] To unload.

  1.  trans. To take a load off (a horse, cart, etc.).

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xxviii. (Bodl. Ms.). Þei leyeþ … þe stikkes and wood bitwene his legges and þies and drawiþ hem home … and vnladeþ and dischargeþ hym þanne.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, iii. 103. Thenne they vnladed theyr somers & theyr cartes.

1494.  Cov. Leet Bk., 557. To drive his Cart laden with Otes into þe Croschepyng & there to vnlade the seid Cart.

1622.  Fletcher, Span. Cur., II. i. I have the mony ready, and I am weary…. Pray ye Thither, let all th’ industrious Bees repair, Unlade their Thighs, and leave their Hony there.

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 64. Some arose, and unladed two asses of the creels … they carried.

  fig.  a. 1592.  T. Watson, Tears of Fancie, xlii. Vnlade me of the burthen … enuious fates … Haue heapt vpon me.

  b.  To take the cargo out of (a ship). Also in fig. context.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, 525. As they vnladed the ship.

1555.  Eden, Decades (Arb.), 240. The port … is so … commodious to defraight or vnlade shyppes, as [etc.].

1586.  B. Young, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., IV. 194 b. If you thinke … your stomacke will not serue you to vnlade all the ship, let me helpe you.

1643.  Milton, Apol. Smect., 36. He must cut out large docks and creeks into his text to unlade the foolish frigate of his unseasonable autorities.

1693.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2838/2. They are now Unlading her, but the Goods are very much Damnified.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxiv. (1787), II. 443. Fourscore vessels were gradually unladen.

1864.  Tennyson, En. Ard., 812. He … help’d At lading and unlading the tall barks.

1871.  Kingsley, At Last, ii. Along the beach a market…, with canoes drawn up to be unladen.

  refl.  1666.  Dryden, Ann. Mirab., ccc. The vent’rous Merchant … Shall here unlade him, and depart no more.

1860.  Geo. Eliot, Mill on Floss, I. xii. Where the black ships unlade themselves of their burthens.

  c.  To unburthen or relieve by the removal or discharge of something. Chiefly fig. and const. of.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 263 b. To unlade you of some cholericke humours.

c. 1600.  Chalkhill, Thealma & Cl. (1683), 127. Cattel gan to low Homewards t’unlade their milky bags.

1688.  Pulpit-Sayings, 29. When a Man unlades himself of all his Sins.

1703.  Rowe, Fair Penit., I. i. Let me unlade my Breast.

1898.  Watts-Dunton, Aylwin, VII. iii. Unlading the mind of the trash previously called knowledge.

  2.  To discharge (a cargo, etc.) from a ship.

1427–8.  Rec. St. Mary at Hill, 68. For cariage of ij lode fro Cambregges key, ladyng & vnladyng, xiiij d.

1542–3.  Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII., c. 9 § 4. That no persone … doo caste or unlade out of any … ship … Balast rubbishe gravell or any other wracke.

1590.  Webbe, Trav. (Arb.), 19. We vnladed our bourthen at Narre.

1612.  in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 467. Goodes to be discharged, unladen, or brought in.

1661.  Godolphin, View Admir. Jurisd., Introd. b 3 b. A Lighter, or Skiff, or the Ships Boat into which part of the Cargo is unladen for the lightning of the Ship.

1722.  De Foe, Plague (1754), 246. They would not suffer them … to unlade their Goods upon any Terms whatever.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., XVI. 375. They moor the vessel and unlade the stores.

a. 1864.  Hawthorne, Amer. Note-bk. (1868), I. 164. Huge trunks and bandboxes [were] unladed and laded.

1884.  Harper’s Mag., June, 52/1. All cargoes must be unladed between sunrise and sunset.

  b.  To discharge or get rid of; to put off or lay down (a burden, etc.); to unpack or bring forth. Chiefly fig.

1591.  Spenser, Daphn., lxx. There will I … the huge burden of my cares vnlade.

1599.  Chapman, Humorous Days Mirth, F 4 b. Forth and vnlade the poyson of thy tongue.

1639.  J. Shirley, Maid’s Rev., II. i. D 3. Ere you let fall words of welcome, Let me unlade a treasure in your eare.

1812.  Crabbe, Tales, Arabella, 283. When all inquiries had been duly made, Came the kind friend her burthen to unlade.

1821.  Lamb, Elia, I. Imperfect Sympathies. He … unlades his stock of ideas in perfect order.

  3.  absol. To discharge a cargo or cargoes.

1547.  Privy Council Acts (1890), II. 466. If he unladed there, he might cary the vytayles a good wey after by the river.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 567. The ships … were forced to vnlade at Douer.

1666.  Lond. Gaz., No. 69/2. A large Swede … is likewise arrived with Deales, and is to unlade in this Harbor.

1774.  E. Jacob, Faversham, 15. Where the great Vessels used to unlade.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 24. Large ships may … lade and unlade close to the ware houses.

1863.  Susan Warner, Old Helmet, xxxv. At Tonga she was detained a week and more, unlading and taking in stores.

1879.  Farrar, St. Paul, II. 405. The wharfs where the barges … were accustomed to unlade.

  b.  To discharge a burden, contents, etc. Also fig.

1629.  Massinger, Picture, IV. ii. You may safer run vpon The mouth of a cannon, when it is vnlading.

1717.  Bullock, Wom. a Riddle, I. i. What adventure is this you are so full of? come, unlade, unlade.

1862.  Goulburn, Pers. Relig., III. viii. (1873), 226. While caravans were unlading or making up their complement of passengers.

  † 4.  trans. To discharge (a fire-arm). In quot. fig.

1649.  G. Daniel, Trinarch., Rich. II., ccxliii. Thus overcharg’d & yet vnwilling to Vnlade Himselfe by the first Match that came.

  Hence Unlading ppl. a.

1607.  Chapman, Bussy d’Ambois, III. ii. 38. I’ll … so thump his liver, That, like a huge unlading Argosy, He shall confess all.