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# boatload

noun (a boatload, boatloads)

«boatload» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The number of people or the amount of goods a boat can carry or is carrying. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#m1)
2. (informal) A very large number or amount of something: «a boatload of homework». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history: boatloads of settlers, convicts or refugees crossing the sea. In maths problems: «Each boatload holds 12 people; how many boatloads for 60 people?» – a division problem, and you must round up if there is a remainder, because a part-full boat still has to make a trip. Informally it means «lots». Phrases: «a boatload of», «by the boatload».

### Examples

- A boatload of tourists arrived at the island. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#x1)
- The first boatloads of convicts reached Australia in 1788. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#x2)
- The ferry can take a boatload of 40 cars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#x3)
- We got a boatload of presents for my birthday! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#x4)
- If each boatload holds 8 children, 30 children need 4 boatloads. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#x5)
- Fish were brought to the harbour by the boatload. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/#x6)

### Note

Countable: one boatload, two boatloads. Maths trap: 30 ÷ 8 = 3 remainder 6, so you need 4 boatloads, not 3. The informal «a boatload of» means «a lot of» and is not used in formal writing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «boatload» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/boatload/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«boatload» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/boatload.html) on Mova free.