load line

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

load′ line′, [Naut.]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms Also called Plimsoll line. any of various lines marked on the sides of a cargo vessel to indicate the depth to which a vessel may be immersed under certain conditions. Cf. freeboard (def. 1a).
2. Nautical, Naval Terms the line made by the surface of the water on the hull of a loaded ship.

• 1880–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

load line noun

1. a pattern of lines painted on the hull of a ship, approximately midway between the bow and the stern, indicating the various levels that the waterline should reach if the ship is properly loaded under given circumstances