n (1) 重担(载，负)(that which is carried; heavy load)[C]：shoulder a heavy～/a～of 300 pounds肩负重负/300磅的重负;a beast of～用于驮运的牲口;bear heavy～s of provisions背负沉重的食品;carry a heavy～uphill负重载上山;〖同〗load，weight，cargo，freight;

(2) 重担(责)(duty， obligation， responsibility， etc， that is hard to bear)[C] (fig)：the～of high office/leadership/state secrets/proof高级职务/领导工作/国家机密/提供证据的重责;the～of duty/responsibility重任/重责;the～of raising 3 children/of heavy taxation on sb抚养三个孩子/重税的负担;His invalid parents/aged grandparents/children are a～to him.有病的父母/高龄的祖父母/孩子们对他是一个负担。the～s of war战争的负担;the～of grief/guilt/remorse悲痛/负罪/悔恨的重压;carry through life the heavy～of illiteracy一生背负着没有文化的重压;〖同〗 responsibility，load，weight;

(3) (船的)载重量，吨位(carrying capacity of a ship; tonnage)[U]：a ship of a hundred-ton～可载百吨的船;

vt 使负担; 装载(load with or as if with sth difficult to bear)[T+n， T+n+prep (with)]：be～ed with all one's possessions/a heavy pack背负所有的财物/一个沉重的包袱;～sb(oneself)with heavy taxation/one's problems/troubles/worries使某人(自己)负担沉重的赋税/受问题困扰/承受麻烦/经受烦恼;be～ed with care忧虑重重;Don't～your memory with useless information.不要费力去记无用的信息。〖同〗load，trouble;

→′burdensome adj 沉重的，麻烦的;un-′burden v 卸掉负担;吐露;

【辨异】 burden与load原义都是指人、动物或车辆的负载;load仍保留此本义，burden 则很少用于这个意义;两个词都可用于转义，表示沉重的责任、负担，burden现在主要用于上述转义。