unload

Related to unload: onload

unload from (something)

1. To remove (some load or cargo) from a particular location. A noun or pronoun can be used between "unload" and "from" to specify the cargo or vehicle that is being unloaded. Why are you unloading the truck from the street? It will be much easier if you pull up into the driveway! A: "Where's Tom?" B: "He's helping the warehouse unload supplies from out back."
2. To remove some load or cargo from something used to store or transport it. A noun or pronoun is used between "unload" and "from." Will you give me a hand unloading these books from the van? It took me most of the day to unload all that coal from the shed.
See also: unload

unload on (someone or something)

1. To remove (some load or cargo) from something and place it on something else. A noun or pronoun can be used between "unload" and "on" to specify what's being unloaded. The workers just unloaded the supplies right on the curb. Why didn't they at least carry them up to the door of the office? You'd have a much easier time if you unloaded those boxes on pallets for the forklifts to move. We won't be able to unload on the docks, so we'll have to find some place else.
2. To force someone or something to take or deal with some unwanted, burdensome, difficult, or stressful person or thing so that one no longer has to. No way! I don't mind looking after your kids for an afternoon, but there's no way you're unloading them on me for the entire weekend. The country has effectively been unloading its financial problems on its neighbors for the last two years. I tried unloading a lot of this useless old junk on my friends and family, but there was still a ton of stuff I had to throw away.
3. To share one's intimate emotions, thoughts, or secrets with someone else, especially that which is troubling, stressful, or distressing. I had simply asked him how things had been, when suddenly he unloaded on me about all the problems he's been dealing with at work. I'm sorry for unloading on you like that. I just haven't had anyone to talk to since the divorce.
4. To criticize or scold someone very harshly or severely. The boss came in and unloaded on all of us for the project's failure. I don't know why you're unloading on me—I didn't do anything wrong!
See also: on, unload

unload onto (someone or something)

1. To remove (some load or cargo) from something and place it on something else. A noun or pronoun can be used between "unload" and "onto" to specify what's being unloaded. The workers just unloaded the supplies right onto the curb. Why didn't they at least carry them up to the door of the office? You'd have a much easier time if you unloaded those boxes onto pallets for the forklifts to move. We won't be able to unload onto the docks, so we'll have to find some place else.
2. To force someone or something to take or deal with some unwanted, burdensome, difficult, or stressful person or thing so that one no longer has to. A noun or pronoun is used between "unload" and "onto." No way! I don't mind looking after your kids for an afternoon, but there's no way you're unloading them onto me for the entire weekend. The country has effectively been unloading its financial problems onto its neighbors for the last two years. I tried unloading a lot of this useless old junk onto my friends and family, but there was still a ton of stuff I had to throw away.
See also: unload
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

unload someone or something on (to) someone

to get rid of a burdensome person or thing on someone else. I unloaded my obnoxious little cousin onto his aunt. I didn't mean to unload my problems onto you.
See also: on, unload

unload something from something

to take things off of something; to remove the burden from something. Please unload the groceries from the car. I unloaded the groceries from the bags.
See also: unload
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

unload

tv. to get rid of someone or something. We’re gonna unload all the cats and dogs during the Christmas rush.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • (Is) this taken?
  • angle
  • angling
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • orient
  • orient to
  • orient to (something)
  • identify with
  • involve with (someone or something)
  • involved with
References in periodicals archive
According to ABS-CBN's Southern Mindanao TV Patrol, the plane unloaded three US helicopters.
Russian plane at airport
"We unloaded around 100 trucks on Saturday and counted 260 trucks at 11 p.m.
Kurdish farmers want shorter wait times when selling grains
The Danish-registered ship sets sail later today for Rotterdam to unload another 8,000 containers.
Santa's big ship unloads
Gantry cranes and accessories load and unload everything from raw materials to finished products to and from storage units, trucks, railroad cars, and barges.
Materials conveying, loading and storage
On the question of back-hauls, Cozzi observes, "In some cases, a steel mill will have a deal with the carrier where you--as a shipper--have to use the barge line they designate, and when the load gets to them, they'll unload and clean it out and, in many cases, reload it with their own products to be shipped out."
Buying power: for high-volume scrap buyers and sellers, the inland waterways can offer distinct advantages
In Santos, Brazil's largest port and home to 28% of the country's total cargo volume, trucks carrying auto parts, soybeans and frozen orange juice all vie for space to unload, a fight that takes up time.
Terminal velocity: Brazil's government targets ports as the key to improving poor infrastructure
The challenge at Shuaiba port is simply the bottleneck of ships trying to unload goods.
Transportation groups tackle oversized load
Unicenter Fast Unload is significantly faster than similar products and completely replaces the function of the database's native unload facility.
MANAGEMENT SOLUTION REQUIRES FEWER ADMINISTRATORS
But if the customs officials order me to unload the tea, I'll have no choice.
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
"NEON Unload delivers consistent high performance in unloading IMS databases, even when the database is highly disorganized.
NEON UNLOAD BLAZES THROUGH DISORGANIZED IMS DATABASES
Researchers at DaimlerChrysler's r&d center in Ulm, Germany, think they are close to a solution - a robot arm guided by laser sensors and camera vision to unload the parts pallets.
ROBOTS MAKE PALLET WORK PALATABLE
(Nasdaq:NESY), Sugar Land, Texas, a provider of Enterprise Access and Integration, Security, and Subsystem Management software products, has unveiled enhancements to its classic IMS tools: Dynamic Index Utility v 2.1, Speed Unload v 2.3 , and Speed Load v 2.3.
NEON DEBUTS ENHANCEMENTS TO CLASSIC IMS TOOLS
JUST IN: Roosevelt-bound LRT-1 suffers technical problem at Central station; passengers were asked to unload. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/7Q8xuKOzWx
'Low pressure' forces LRT-1 to unload passengers
Davao City - The City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) start to implement next month a 20-second limit for all public utility vehicles (PUVs) to load or unload passengers at designated stops called Yellow Boxes.
20-second limit at PUV stops to be enforced
The pivoting spout for the grain tank unload auger for Case IH 230 Series Axial-Flow [R] combines is an industry-exclusive option that saves time and grain by allowing the operator to move the unloading grain stream in or out with an in-cab control.
Pivoting spout for grain tank unload auger for 230 Series CIH combines