# take a load off

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/take-a-load-off
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To go from a standing position to a sitting one.

## Examples

- You look tired, so take a load off and sit down.
- Please take a load off and wait here for the doctor.
- My grandmother likes to take a load off on the porch every afternoon.
- After standing for six hours at the event, I was happy to take a load off in a comfortable chair.
- The host gestured toward the sofa and invited the guests to take a load off while he finished preparing the dinner.
- Since the bus journey is going to take three hours, you should find a seat and take a load off.
- The weary traveler entered the tavern, eager to take a load off his aching feet after a long day of walking through the mountains.

## Origin

Derived from the fuller expression *take a load off one's feet*, the phrase entered the lexicon as a colloquialism through ellipsis. The shorter form relies upon the listener to supply the missing anatomical detail, assuming that the physical burden being relieved is the weight of the body upon the lower limbs. No specific date or individual is associated with the reduction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.