The crossword solution for the term 'lighten, as a load' is 'EASE, ' which is a four-letter word. To 'EASE' something means to make it less difficult or burdensome. This can be done by reducing the amount of work or effort required to complete a task, or by making the task simpler or easier to understand. In this context, 'lighten, as a load' means to reduce the burden of a load, such as a physical load or a figurative load, such as a workload.