a. Obs. Forms: 4 charjous(e, chargeuse, chargous, 4–6 chargeous, 6 chargious. [a. AF. chargeous, -jous = OF. chargeus:—Rom. type *cargoso, f. carga charge: see -OUS.]
1. Of the nature of a load; onerous, heavy.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. xxvii. 3. Heuy is the ston, and charious is the grauel.
2. Burdensome; expensive, costly; troublesome.
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 346. Alle þes olde ordris, ben chargious to þe Chirche. Ibid. (1382), 2 Cor. xi. 9. Whenne I was anentis ȝou, and nedide, I was chargeous to no man.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melib., ¶ 277 (Harl. MS.). Ful chargeous [v.r. chargeaunt, -geant] and ful anoyous for to hiere.
1540. Elyot, Image Gov. (1556), 113. In daliaunce and bankettynge … and other chargious solasyng.
a. 1563. Bale, Sel. Wks. (1849), 105. He [St. Paul] was not chargeous unto them.
