(1) To install. For example, to load a
disk means to
mount it in a
disk drive.
(2) To copy a program from a storage device into memory. Every program must be loaded into memory before it can be executed. Usually the loading process is performed invisibly by a part of the operating system called the loader. You simply enter the name of the program you want to run, and the operating system loads it and executes it for you.
(3) In programming, load means to copy data from main memory into a data register.
(4) In networking, load refers to the amount of data (traffic) being carried by the network.
