charge
Definitions
To ask an amount of money as a price
收费，要价
To formally accuse someone of a crime
控告，指控
To store electrical energy in a battery
充电
To rush forward in attack
冲锋，猛冲
An amount of money asked for goods or a service
费用，价钱
A formal accusation of a crime
指控，罪名
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Late Latin carricare, 'to load a cart' (carrus + -icare). 'Loading' fans out: load a price onto a bill (charge a fee), load blame onto a person (charge with a crime), load energy into a battery (charge it), load a duty onto someone (charge with a task), and load forward at speed (a cavalry charge).
Root car still carries 96 more wordsWhy It Means This
Every sense of charge is a kind of loading. Originally you 'charged' a wagon — piled it up. Pile money onto a bill → a charge. Pile a duty on someone → put them in charge. Pile blame on them → charge them with a crime. Pile gunpowder into a weapon, or energy into a battery → charge it. Pile momentum and rush forward → a charge. The cart is gone, but the loading remains.
Usage Guide
Watch the prepositions: charge somebody for something (price), charge somebody with something (accusation/duty), in charge of (responsible for), take charge (take control), free of charge (no cost). These don't interchange.
Example Sentences
- 1.
How much do you charge for a haircut?
- 2.
He was charged with theft and fraud.
- 3.
Remember to charge your phone before the trip.
- 4.
The soldiers charged toward the enemy lines.
- 5.
She is in charge of the marketing team.