Preloads

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Puts a load or supply into something in advance of use
2. To place necessary materials or data into a device or system before operation
3. Prepares by filling or setting up resources ahead of time for efficiency

Etymology: Preload is a compound of the prefix "pre-" ("before") and "load," so its basic sense is simply to load something ahead of time. The verb "load" traces back to Old English "lad," meaning a way, course, or carrying, and it came to mean a burden or the act of putting one on something. Attaching "pre-" gives the sense of putting cargo, data, or supplies in place before they are needed. The modern computing use is the most common today. A web browser may preload a page's images before you click on them, and a game may preload its textures so that play runs smoothly. The same idea applies to software and hardware: a phone may come with apps already installed, and a printer driver may be loaded into memory before a print job begins.

Synonyms: load, initialize, prepare, set up, load in advance