commercial transport that is slower and cheaper than express the price charged for such transport goods transported by this means (as modifier): freight transport a ship's cargo or part of it
to load with goods for transport
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
freight /freɪt/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Businessgoods or cargo transported for pay:huge trucks carrying many tons of freight.
- Businessthe transport of goods by common carriers.
- Businessthe charges for such transportation:having to pay the freight.
v. [~ + object]
- to transport as freight.
- to fill or load;
burden:writings freighted with hidden meaning.
freight
(frāt),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
freight′less, adj.
- Businessgoods, cargo, or lading transported for pay, whether by water, land, or air.
- Businessthe ordinary conveyance or means of transport of goods provided by common carriers (distinguished from express):Shipping by freight is less expensive.
- Businessthe charges, fee, or compensation paid for such transportation:We pay the freight.
- British Terms(esp. in Britain) the cargo, or any part of the cargo, of a vessel;
merchandise transported by water. - British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]transportation of goods by water.
- See freight train.
- Slang Termscost or price, esp. when high:I'd like a larger house, but can't afford the freight.
v.t.
- to load;
burden:a story heavily freighted with private meaning. - to load with goods or merchandise for transportation:It took all night to freight the ship.
- to transport as freight;
send by freight.
- Middle Dutch or Middle Low German vrecht, variant of vracht. See fraught
- Middle English freyght (noun, nominal) 1350–1400
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Freight, cargo, shipment refer to goods being transported from place to place. Freight is the general term for goods transported from one place to another by any means:to send freight from New York to New Orleans.Cargo is the term generally used for goods carried by ship or plane:to send a cargo to Europe.Shipment is a quantity of goods destined for a particular place, no matter how sent:a shipment of potatoes.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged freightage, haulage.
- 8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged charge.
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