charge

pronunciation

How to pronounce charge in British English: UK [tʃɑːdʒ] word uk audio image

How to pronounce charge in American English: US [tʃɑːrdʒ] word us audio image

Noun:

(criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense
the price charged for some article or service
an assertion that someone is guilty of a fault or offence
request for payment of a debt
a impetuous rush toward someone or something
the quantity of unbalanced electricity in a body (either positive or negative) and construed as an excess or deficiency of electrons
financial liabilities (such as a tax)
a person committed to your care
attention and management implying responsibility for safety
a special assignment that is given to a person or group
a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something
a quantity of explosive to be set off at one time
the swift release of a store of affective force
(psychoanalysis) the libidinal energy invested in some idea or person or object
heraldry consisting of a design or image depicted on a shield
Verb:

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against
demand payment
move quickly and violently
assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to
file a formal charge against
make an accusatory claim
fill or load to capacity
enter a certain amount as a charge
cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution
give over to another for care or safekeeping
pay with a credit card; pay with plastic money; postpone payment by recording a purchase as a debt
lie down on command, of hunting dogs
cause to be agitated, excited, or roused
place a heraldic bearing on
provide with munition
direct into a position for use
impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to
instruct (a jury) about the law, its application, and the weighing of evidence
instruct or command with authority
attribute responsibility to
set or ask for a certain price
cause formation of a net electrical charge in or on
energize a battery by passing a current through it in the direction opposite to discharge
saturate

Word Origin

charge: charge: [13] The notion underlying the word charge is of a ‘load’ or ‘burden’ – and this can still be detected in many of its modern meanings, as of a duty laid on one like a load, or of the burden of an expense, which began as metaphors. It comes ultimately from Latin carrus ‘two-wheeled wagon’ (source also of English car). From this was derived the late Latin verb carricāre ‘load’, which produced the Old French verb charger and, via the intermediate Vulgar Latin *carrica, the Old French noun charge, antecedents of the English words.The literal sense of ‘loading’ or ‘bearing’ has now virtually died out, except in such phrases as ‘charge your glasses’, but there are reminders of it in cargo [17], which comes from the Spanish equivalent of the French noun charge, and indeed in carry, descended from the same ultimate source. The origins of the verb sense ‘rush in attack’ are not altogether clear, but it may have some connection with the sense ‘put a weapon in readiness’.This is now familiar in the context of firearms, but it seems to have been used as long ago as the 13th century with reference to arrows. The Italian descendant of late Latin carricāre was caricare, which meant not only ‘load’ but also, metaphorically, ‘exaggerate’. From this was derived the noun caricatura, which reached English via French in the 18th century as caricature.=> car, cargo, caricature

charge (v.): early 13c., "to load, fill," from Old French chargier "to load, burden, weigh down," from Late Latin carricare "to load a wagon or cart," from Latin carrus "wagon" (see car). Senses of "entrust," "command," "accuse" all emerged in Middle English and were found in Old French. Sense of "rush in to attack" is 1560s, perhaps through earlier meaning "load a weapon" (1540s). Meaning "impose a burden of expense" is from mid-14c. Meaning "fill with electricity" is from 1748. Related: Charged; charging. Chargé d'affaires was borrowed from French, 1767, literally "(one) charged with affairs."

charge (n.): c. 1200, "a load, a weight," from Old French charge "load, burden; imposition," from chargier "to load, to burden" (see charge (v.)). Meaning "responsibility, burden" is mid-14c. (as in take charge, late 14c.; in charge, 1510s), which progressed to "pecuniary burden, cost, burden of expense" (mid-15c.), and then to "price demanded for service or goods" (1510s). Legal sense of "accusation" is late 15c.; earlier "injunction, order" (late 14c.). Electrical sense is from 1767. Slang meaning "thrill, kick" (American English) is from 1951.