charge
verb (transitive)
UK/tʃɑːdʒ/US/tʃɑrdʒ/
To fill or store electrical energy in a battery or device; to restore power.
Example Sentences
Make sure to charge your phone before leaving for the airport.
He forgot to charge his laptop overnight and had to borrow a charger at work.
This electric car can fully charge in under an hour with a fast charger.
They installed solar panels on the roof to help charge their home battery system.
Some devices can charge wirelessly if placed on a compatible charging pad.
It’s a good idea to charge spare batteries so you have backups ready.
Since she often traveled for business, she purchased a portable power bank that could charge her phone multiple times, ensuring she was never caught off-guard with a dead battery.
Despite the storm knocking out electricity, they managed to partially charge their essential devices using a hand-crank generator and a small solar panel kit.
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noun (countable)
UK/tʃɑːdʒ/US/tʃɑrdʒ/
A sudden, forceful rush forward, often in battle or a competitive setting.
Example Sentences
The cavalry’s charge across the battlefield was both swift and intimidating.
In a decisive move, the coach called for an all-out charge on the opposing team’s defense.
The soldiers braced themselves for the enemy’s charge just before dawn.
During the final moments of the game, he led a spirited charge toward the goal line.
The film depicted an epic charge through the fortress gates, complete with dramatic music and dazzling special effects.
They launched one final charge, hoping to break the stalemate and force a retreat.
At the sound of the bugle, the cavalry troop began their fierce charge, hooves thundering across the field as they closed the distance with remarkable speed.
Despite heavy resistance, the squadron mounted a second charge, rallying behind their flag and pressing forward with unshakable resolve in an attempt to turn the tide of the battle.
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How to Use
Covers taking responsibility, demanding payment, or supplying electrical current.This term can function as a verb or noun in a variety of contexts. As a verb, it often signifies billing someone for a service or product (“They will charge you a fee for late returns”), or powering a device (“Plug it in to charge the battery”). It can also mean to rush forward in a physical sense, especially in a forceful or sudden move (“The bull charged at the matador”). When used figuratively, “charge” can describe entrusting someone with a duty (“She was charged with organizing the event”). As a noun, it may describe the cost or price placed on an item or service (“The cover charge for the concert is $10”), an electrical property (“The battery holds a charge for five hours”), or a responsibility (“She took full charge of the project”). In legal contexts, it can denote an accusation—“He faced a charge of theft.” Because it spans financial, legal, electrical, and situational uses, it’s crucial to provide context so the listener or reader understands which specific meaning applies. Whether you’re discussing fees, energy, legal allegations, or delegating tasks, this word pinpoints the idea of obligation, power flow, or forward momentum toward an objective.
Alternatives
Synonyms and related expressions depend heavily on context. If you’re talking about billing, “bill,” “invoice,” or “levy a fee” might work. For supplying power, “power up,” “recharge,” or “energize” capture the essence of fueling devices. In the sense of assigning responsibilities, “entrust,” “appoint,” or “task” may be more precise. Regarding legal accusations, “accuse,” “indict,” or “prosecute” could substitute, though each has slightly different legal nuances. For rushing forward physically, “rush,” “lunge,” or “storm forward” might be stronger verbs. Meanwhile, if you want to replace the noun “charge” relating to a cost, you might choose “fee,” “fare,” “expense,” or “toll,” each suited to different types of transactions. “Obligation” or “duty” could replace “charge” in contexts about accountability or leadership, whereas “responsibility” works in everyday conversations. By picking one of these alternatives, you can specify the scenario—legal, financial, physical, or managerial—and avoid confusion with the word’s many other meanings. Selecting the best synonym helps clarify tone, time frame, and the level of formality you need, making your speech or writing more precise and engaging.
Writing
When writing, using this term can convey quick, impactful ideas if you specify which sense you mean. In business memos or emails, you might say, “We will charge a flat fee for additional services,” which cleanly indicates financial costs. When drafting instructions, you could direct someone to “charge the device overnight.” In legal or formal documents, you might detail charges against a defendant or highlight who is in charge of a committee, emphasizing roles and responsibilities. If you’re crafting narratives or stories, “charge” can depict action—“He charged into the fray with no hesitation”—or assign duties—“She was charged with protecting the village.” Because the word spans so many domains, consistency is key: define how you’re using it early in the text if there’s room for ambiguity. Within technical or scientific writing (like electronics), “charge” usually refers to electrical properties, so pair it with definitions, like “positive charge,” “negative charge,” or “electric charge,” to help readers follow along. Vary your language with synonyms or clarifying details so you don’t accidentally jumble multiple meanings and leave readers guessing which sense of “charge” applies. Skillful, contextual usage ensures your message is clear and resonates with the precise action or idea you want to convey.
Casual Conversation
In day-to-day chat, “charge” might pop up for simple topics—“I need to charge my phone,” or “Who’s in charge of the group plans tonight?” Friends might quip about being “in charge” when they’re organizing dinner, or mention a cover charge at a club. If someone feels wrongly accused, they could jokingly say, “Are you charging me with a crime?” over a trivial matter. It’s also common in sports or competitive settings—“He charged toward the finish line!”—giving a sense of forward energy. When it comes to finances, you might discuss how credit cards “charge interest” or whether there’s an extra charge for online streaming services. Because it’s so widely understood, “charge” makes casual exchanges straightforward, but be sure the context is evident—no one wants to confuse being “charged” a fee with a legal charge or a brand-new battery charge. Inject humor if it suits the moment: “You’re in charge of dessert, but don’t charge me for your taste-testing services!” This everyday flexibility means that “charge” easily fits playful banter, quick scheduling, or discussing small fees, as long as everyone knows which angle you mean—financial, organizational, or figurative charge forward.
Etymology
Derived from the Old French word “charger,” meaning “to load, burden, or impose,” this term originally reflected the idea of placing weight or duty upon someone or something. The Latin root “carricare” (to load onto a cart) traces its lineage to “carrus,” referencing a wheeled vehicle—essentially ‘to carry or load.’ Over centuries, English adapted “charge” to encompass fees, as in imposing costs, while simultaneously extending it to the idea of shouldering responsibilities. Eventually, it also gained legal significance (filing charges) and an electrical dimension, aligning with breakthroughs in physics that conceptualized particles bearing electric charge. In time, the notion of moving forcefully—charging forward—arose from the sense of driving a load ahead. Despite branching into many fields—finance, leadership, law, warfare, physics—the core meaning of placing something under burden, cost, or compulsion remains. This diverse application underscores how a single term can evolve with cultural, technological, and scientific progress, all rooted in the act of loading or imposing a responsibility or energy upon someone or something.