n. a special assignment that is given to a person or group; "a confidential mission to London"; "his charge was deliver a message"

n. attention and management implying responsibility for safety; "he is in the care of a bodyguard"

n. an impetuous rush toward someone or something; "the wrestler's charge carried him past his adversary"; "the battle began with a cavalry charge"

n. a quantity of explosive to be set off at one time; "this cartridge has a powder charge of 50 grains"

n. heraldry consisting of a design or image depicted on a shield

n. a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something; "the judge's charge to the jury"

n. request for payment of a debt; "they submitted their charges at the end of each month"

n. (criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense; "he was arrested on a charge of larceny"

n. (psychoanalysis) the libidinal energy invested in some idea or person or object; "Freud thought of cathexis as a psychic analog of an electrical charge"

n. a person committed to your care; "the teacher led her charges across the street"

n. the quantity of unbalanced electricity in a body (either positive or negative) and construed as an excess or deficiency of electrons; "the battery needed a fresh charge"

n. the price charged for some article or service; "the admission charge"

n. financial liabilities (such as a tax); "the charges against the estate"

v. energize a battery by passing a current through it in the direction opposite to discharge; "I need to charge my car battery"

v. attribute responsibility to; "We blamed the accident on her"; "The tragedy was charged to her inexperience"

v. instruct or command with authority; "The teacher charged the children to memorize the poem"

v. make an accusatory claim; "The defense attorney charged that the jurors were biased"

v. file a formal charge against; "The suspect was charged with murdering his wife"

v. to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle; "he saw Jess charging at him with a pitchfork"

v. direct into a position for use; "point a gun"; "He charged his weapon at me"

v. cause formation of a net electrical charge in or on; "charge a conductor"

v. set or ask for a certain price; "How much do you charge for lunch?"; "This fellow charges $100 for a massage"

v. lie down on command, of hunting dogs

v. move quickly and violently; "The car tore down the street"; "He came charging into my office"

v. pay with a credit card; pay with plastic money; postpone payment by recording a purchase as a debt; "Will you pay cash or charge the purchase?"

v. demand payment; "Will I get charged for this service?"; "We were billed for 4 nights in the hotel, although we stayed only 3 nights"

v. enter a certain amount as a charge; "he charged me $15"

v. cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution; "After the second episode, she had to be committed"; "he was committed to prison"

v. assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to; "He was appointed deputy manager"; "She was charged with supervising the creation of a concordance"