Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Page 241

Characterism

Char"ac*ter*ism (?), n. [Gr. a characterizing.] A distinction of character; a characteristic. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Characteristic

Char`ac*ter*is"tic (?), a. [Gr. : cf. F. charactéristique.] Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive.

Characteristic clearness of temper. Macaulay.

Characteristic

Char`ac*ter*is"tic, n.

1. A distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element of character; that which characterized. Pope.

The characteristics of a true critic. Johnson.

2. (Math.) The integral part (whether positive or negative) of a logarithm.

Characteristical

Char`ac*ter*is"tic*al (?), a. Characteristic.

Characteristically

Char`ac*ter*is"tic*al*ly, adv. In a characteristic manner; in a way that characterizes.

Characterization

Char`ac*ter*i*za"tion (?), n. The act or process of characterizing.

Characterize

Char"ac*ter*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Characterized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Characterizing.] [LL. characterizare, Gr. : cf. F. charactériser.]

1. To make distinct and recognizable by peculiar marks or traits; to make with distinctive features.

European, Asiatic, Chinese, African, and Grecian faces are Characterized. Arbuthot.

2. To engrave or imprint. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

3. To indicate the character of; to describe.

Under the name of Tamerlane he intended to characterize King William. Johnson.

4. To be a characteristic of; to make, or express the character of.

The softness and effeminacy which characterize the men of rank in most countries. W. Irving.

Syn. -- To describe; distinguish; mark; designate; style; particularize; entitle.

Characterless

Char"ac*ter*less, a. Destitute of any distinguishing quality; without character or force.

Charactery

Char"ac*ter*y (?), n.

1. The art or means of characterizing; a system of signs or characters; symbolism; distinctive mark.

Fairies use flowers for their charactery. Shak.

2. That which is charactered; the meaning. [Obs.]

I will construe to thee All the charactery of my sad brows. Shak.

Charade

Cha*rade" (?), n. [F. charade, cf. Pr. charrada long chat, It ciarlare to chat, whence E. charlatan.] A verbal or acted enigma based upon a word which has two or more significant syllables or parts, each of which, as well as the word itself, is to be guessed from the descriptions or representations.

Charbocle

Char"bo*cle (?), n. Carbuncle. [Written also Charboncle.] [Obs.] Chaucer.

Charbon

Char"bon (?), n. [F., coal, charbon.]

1. (Far.) A small black spot or mark remaining in the cavity of the corner tooth of a horse after the large spot or mark has become obliterated.

2. A very contagious and fatal disease of sheep, horses, and cattle. See Maligmant pustule.

Charcoal

Char"coal` (?), n. [See Char, v. t., to burn or to reduce to coal, and Coal.]

1. Impure carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances; esp., coal made by charring wood in a kiln, retort, etc., from which air is excluded. It is used for fuel and in various mechanical, artistic, and chemical processes.

2. (Fine Arts) Finely prepared charcoal in small sticks, used as a drawing implement. Animal charcoal, a fine charcoal prepared by calcining bones in a closed vessel; -- used as a filtering agent in sugar refining, and as an absorbent and disinfectant. -- Charcoal blacks, the black pigment, consisting of burnt ivory, bone, cock, peach stones, and other substances. -- Charcoal drawing (Fine Arts), a drawing made with charcoal. See Charcoal, 2. Until within a few years this material has been used almost exclusively for preliminary outline, etc., but at present many finished drawings are made with it. -- Charcoal point, a carbon pencil prepared for use un an electric light apparatus. -- Mineral charcoal, a term applied to silky fibrous layers of charcoal, interlaminated in beds of ordinary bituminous coal; -- known to miners as mother of coal.

Chard

Chard (?), n. [Cf. F. carde esclent thistle.]
1. The tender leaves or leafstalks of the artichoke, white beet, etc., blanched for table use.
2. A variety of the white beet, which produces large, succulent leaves and leafstalks.
Chare
Chare (?), n. A narrow street. [Prov. Eng.]
Chare
Chare, n. & v. A chore; to chore; to do. See Char.
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, fing away ambition. Shak.

3. To lay on, impose, or make subject to or liable for.

When land shal be charged by any lien. Kent.

4. To fix or demand as a prince; as, he charges two dollars a barrelk 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 loth 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 the did that wrong you charge 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.

11. 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.

Charge

Charge (?), v. i.

1. To make an onset or rush; as, to charge with fixed bayonets.

Like your heroes of antiquity, he charges in iron. Glanvill.

Charge for the guns!" he said. Tennyson.

2. To demand a price; as, to charge high for goods.

3. To debit on an account; as, to charge for purchases.

4. To squat on its belly and be still; -- a command given by a sportsman to a dog.

Charge

Charge (?), n. [F. charge, fr. charger to load. See Charge, v. t., and cf. Cargo, Caricature.]

1. A load or burder laid upon a person or thing.

2. A person or thing commited or intrusted to the care, custody, or management of another; a trust. &hand; The people of a parish or church are called the charge of the clergyman who is set over them.

3. Custody or care of any person, thing, or place; office; responsibility; oversight; obigation; duty.

'Tis a great charge to come under one body's hand. Shak.

4. Heed; care; anxiety; trouble. [Obs.] Chaucer.

5. Harm. [Obs.] Chaucer.

6. An order; a mandate or command; an injunction.

The king gave cherge concerning Absalom. 2. Sam. xviii. 5.

7. An address (esp. an earnest or impressive address) containing instruction or exhortation; as, the charge of a judge to a jury; the charge of a bishop to his clergy.

8. An accusation of a wrong of offense; allegation; indictment; specification of something alleged.

The charge of confounding very different classes of phenomena. Whewell.

9. Whatever constitutes a burden on property, as rents, taxes, lines, etc.; costs; expense incurred; -- usually in the plural.

10. The price demanded for a thing or service.

11. An entry or a account of that which is due from one party to another; that which is debited in a business transaction; as, a charge in an account book.

12. That quantity, as of ammunition, electricity, ore, fuel, etc., which any apparatus, as a gun, battery, furnace, machine, etc., is intended to receive and fitted to hold, or which is actually in it at one time

13. The act of rushing upon, or towards, an enemy; a sudden onset or attack, as of troops, esp. cavalry; hence, the signal for attack; as, to sound the charge.

Never, in any other war afore, gave the Romans a hotter charge upon the enemies. Holland.

The charge of the light brigade. Tennyson.

14. A position (of a weapon) fitted for attack; as, to bring a weapon to the charge.

15. (Far.) A soft of plaster or ointment.

16. (Her.) A bearing. See Bearing, n., 8.

17. [Cf. Charre.] Thirty-six pigs of lead, each pig weighing about seventy pounds; -- called also charre.

18. Weight; import; value.

Many suchlike as's" of great charge. Shak.

Back charge. See under Back, a. -- Bursting charge. (a (Mil.) The charge which bursts a shell, etc. (b (Mining) A small quantity of fine powder to secure the ignition of a charge of coarse powder in blasting. -- Charge and discharge (Equity Practice), the old mode or form of taking an account before a master in chancery. -- Charge sheet, the paper on which are entered at a police station all arrests and accusations. -- To sound the charge, to give the signal for an attack. Syn. -- Care; custody; trust; management; office; expense; cost; price; assault; attack; onset; injunction; command; order; mandate; instruction; accusation; indictment.

Chargeable

Charge"a*ble (?), a.

1. That may be charged, laid, imposed, or imputes; as, a duty chargeable on iron; a fault chargeable on a man.

2. Subject to be charge or accused; liable or responsible; as, revenues chargeable with a claim; a man chargeable with murder.

3. Serving to create expense; costly; burdensome.

That we might not be chargeable to any of you. 2. Thess. iii. 8.

For the sculptures, which are elegant, were very chargeable. Evelyn.

Chargeableness

Charge"a*ble*ness, n. The quality of being chargeable or expensive. [Obs.] Whitelocke.

Chargeably

Charge"a*bly (?), adv. At great cost; expensively. [Obs.]

Chargeant

Char"geant (?), a. [F. chargeant, fr. charger to load.] Burdensome; troublesome. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Chargé d'affaires

Char`gé" d'af`faires" (?), n.; pl. Chargés d'affaires. [F., charged with affairs."] A diplomatic representative, or minister of an inferior grade, accredited by the government of one state to the minister of foreign affairs of another; also, a substitute, ad interim, for an ambassador or minister plenipotentiary.

Chargeful

Charge"ful (?), a. Costly; expensive. [Obs.]

The fineness of the gold and chargeful fashion. Shak.

Chargehouse

Charge"house` (?), n. A schoolhouse. [Obs.]

Chargeless

Charge"less, a. Free from, or with little, charge.

Chargeous

Char"geous (?), a. Burdensome. [Obs.]

I was chargeous to no man. Wyclif, (2 Cor. xi. 9).

Charger

Char"ger (?), n.

1. One who, or that which charges.

2. An instrument for measuring or inserting a charge.

3. A large dish. [Obs.]

Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. Matt. xiv. 8.

4. A horse for battle or parade. Macaulay.

And furious every charger neighed. Campbell.

Chargeship

Char*ge"ship (?), n. The office of a chargé d'affaires.

Charily

Char"i*ly (?), adv. In a chary manner; carefully; cautiously; frugally.

Chariness

Char"i*ness, n. The quality of being chary.

Chariot

Char"i*ot (?), n. [F. Chariot, from char car. See Car.]

1. (Antiq.) A two-wheeled car or vehicle for war, racing, state processions, etc.

First moved the chariots, after whom the foot. Cowper.

2. A four-wheeled pleasure or state carriage, having one seat. Shak.

Chariot

Char"i*ot, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charioted; p. pr. & vb. n. Charioting.] To convey in a chariot. Milton.

Chariotee

Char`i*ot*ee" (?), n. A light, covered, four-wheeled pleasure carriage with two seats.

Charioteer

Char`i*ot*eer" (?), n.

1. One who drives a chariot.

2. (Astron.) A constellation. See Auriga, and Wagones.

Charism

Cha"rism (?), n. [Gr. gift.] (Eccl.) A miraculously given power, as of healing, speaking foreign languages without instruction, etc., attributed to some of the early Christians.

Charismatic

Char`is*mat"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a charism.

Charitable

Char"i*ta*ble (?), a.[F. See Charity.]

1. Full of love and good will; benevolent; kind.

Be thy intents wicked or charitable, . . . . . . I will speak to thee. Shak.

2. Liberal in judging of others; disposed to look on the best side, and to avoid harsh judgment.

3. Liberal in benefactions to the poor; giving freely; generous; beneficent.

What charitable men afford to beggars. Shak.

4. Of or pertaining to charity; springing from, or intended for, charity; relating to almsgiving; elemosynary; as, a charitable institution.

5. Dictated by kindness; favorable; lenient.

By a charitable construction it may be a sermon. L. Andrews.

Syn. -- Kind; beneficent; benevolent; generous; lenient; forgiving; helpful; liberal; favorable; indulgent.

Charitableness

Char"i*ta*ble*ness, n. The quality of being charitable; the exercise of charity.

Charitably

Char"i*ta*bly, adv. In a charitable manner.

Charity

Char"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Charities (#). [F. charité fr. L. caritas dearness, high regard, love, from carus dear, costly, loved; asin to Skr. kam to wish, love, cf. Ir. cara a friend, W. caru to love. Cf. Caress.]

1. Love; universal benevolence; good will.

Now abideth faith, hope, charity, three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1. Cor. xiii. 13.

They, at least, are little to be envied, in whose hearts the great charities . . . lie dead. Ruskin.

With malice towards none, with charity for all. Lincoln.

2. Liberality in judging of men and their actions; a disposition which inclines men to put the best construction on the words and actions of others.

The highest exercise of charity is charity towards the uncharitable. Buckminster.

3. Liberality to the poor and the suffering, to benevolent institutions, or to worthy causes; generosity.

The heathen poet, in commending the charity of Dido to the Trojans, spake like a Christian. Dryden.

4. Whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the needy or suffering for their relief; alms; any act of kindness.

She did ill then to refuse her a charity. L'Estrange.

5. A charitable institution, or a gift to create and support such an institution; as, Lady Margaret's charity.

6. pl. (Law) Eleemosynary appointments [grants or devises] including relief of the poor or friendless, education, religious culture, and public institutions.

The charities that soothe, and heal, and bless, Are scattered at the feet of man like flowers. Wordsworth.

Sisters of Charity (R. C. Ch.), a sisterhood of religious women engaged in works of mercy, esp. in nursing the sick; -- a popular designation. There are various orders of the Sisters of Charity. Syn. -- Love; benevolence; good will; affection; tenderness; beneficence; liberality; almsgiving.

Charivari

Cha*ri`va*ri" (?), n. [F.] A mock serenade of discordant noises, made with kettles, tin horns, etc., designed to annoy and insult. &hand; It was at first performed before the house of any person of advanced age who married a second time.

Chark

Chark (?), n. [Abbrev. fr. charcoal.] Charcoal; a cinder. [Obs.] DeFoe.

Chark

Chark, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charked (?).] To burn to a coal; to char. [Obs.]

Charlatan

Char"la*tan (?), n. [F. charlatan, fr. It. ciarlatano, fr. ciarlare to chartter, prate; of imitative origin; cf. It. zirlare to whistle like a thrush.] One who prates much in his own favor, and makes unwarrantable pretensions; a quack; an impostor; an empiric; a mountebank.