Charge \Charge\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charged; p. pr. & vb. n.
Charging.]
[OF. chargier, F. charger, fr. LL. carricare,
fr. L. carrus wagon. Cf. Cargo, Caricature, Cark, and
see Car.]
1. To lay on or impose, as a load, tax, or burden; to load;
to fill.
A carte that charged was with hay. --Chaucer.
The charging of children's memories with rules.
--Locke.
2. To lay on or impose, as a task, duty, or trust; to
command, instruct, or exhort with authority; to enjoin; to
urge earnestly; as, to charge a jury; to charge the clergy
of a diocese; to charge an agent.
Moses . . . charged you to love the Lord your God.
--Josh. xxii.
5.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition.
--Shak.
3. To lay on, impose, or make subject to or liable for.
When land shall be charged by any lien. --Kent.
4. To fix or demand as a price; as, he charges two dollars a
barrel for apples.
5. To place something to the account of as a debt; to debit,
as, to charge one with goods. Also, to enter upon the
debit side of an account; as, to charge a sum to one.
6. To impute or ascribe; to lay to one's charge.
No more accuse thy pen, but charge the crime On
native sloth and negligence of time. --Dryden.
7. To accuse; to make a charge or assertion against (a person
or thing); to lay the responsibility (for something said
or done) at the door of.
If he did that wrong you charge him with.
--Tennyson.
8. To place within or upon any firearm, piece of apparatus or
machinery, the quantity it is intended and fitted to hold
or bear; to load; to fill; as, to charge a gun; to charge
an electrical machine, etc.
Their battering cannon charged to the mouths.
--Shak.
9. To ornament with or cause to bear; as, to charge an
architectural member with a molding.
10. (Her.) To assume as a bearing; as, he charges three roses
or; to add to or represent on; as, he charges his shield
with three roses or.
1. To call to account; to challenge. [Obs.]
To charge me to an answer. --Shak.
12. To bear down upon; to rush upon; to attack.
Charged our main battle's front. --Shak.
Syn: To intrust; command; exhort; instruct; accuse; impeach;
arraign. See Accuse.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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