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—freightless, adj./frayt/, n.1. goods, cargo, or lading transported for pay, whether by water, land, or air.2. the ordinary conveyance or means of transport of goods provided by common carriers (distinguished from express): Shipping by freight is less expensive.3. the charges, fee, or compensation paid for such transportation: We pay the freight.4. (esp. in Britain) the cargo, or any part of the cargo, of a vessel; merchandise transported by water.5. Chiefly Brit. transportation of goods by water.6. See freight train.7. Slang. cost or price, esp. when high: I'd like a larger house, but can't afford the freight.v.t.8. to load; burden: a story heavily freighted with private meaning.9. to load with goods or merchandise for transportation: It took all night to freight the ship.10. to transport as freight; send by freight.[1350-1400; ME freyght (n.) < MD or MLG vrecht, var. of vracht. See FRAUGHT]Syn. 1. 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. freightage, haulage. 8. charge.
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Universalium. 2010.