Forms: 4, 5 chargeour(e, 5 charyowre, charyooure, charioure, chargiour, chargour, chargere, 5– charger. [ME. chargeour may represent an AF. chargeour, that which loads; or it may be ad. OF. *chargeoir, on L. type *carricātōrium, utensil for loading.]
1. A large plate or flat dish for carrying a large joint of meat; a platter.
c. 1305. Leg. Rood (1871), 136. I was þat cheef chargeour, I bar flesch for folkes feste.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 185. Grett swannes fulle swythe in silveryne chargeours.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 21. Lay þe hare in charioure.
1422. E. E. Wills (1882), 49. ij chargours of seluer.
1500. Ortus Voc., in Promp. Parv., 70. Lanx, latus discus, a charger.
1512. Act 4 Hen. VIII., c. 7 § 7. Workmanship of Tin or Pewter … in Platters, Chargers, Dishes, Saucers.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Kings vii. 50. Flat peces, charges, basens, spones, and censours of pure golde.
1611. Bible, Matt. xiv. 8. Giue me heere Iohn Baptists head in a charger [Wycl. disch, Tindale and Genev. platter, Rhem. dish; cf. Mark vi. 25 Wycl. disch, Tindale, Genev., and 1611 charger, Rhem. platter].
1641. Milton, Animadv., Wks. 1738, I. 102. Why do not those goodly Flanks and Briskets march up in your stately chargers?
1727. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Bee, Placing a large Pewter Charger or Platter, under the Cluster of Bees.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 114. Many … broke up their silver chargers and christening bowls, in order to assist him.
2. a. ? A large soup-plate or vessel for liquids. b. A large flat vessel for the wort in brewing. † c. See quot. 1496.
1496. Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl., I. 293. Item, for ij dowbil platis of quhit irne to be gun chargeouris.
1766. Antiq., in Ann. Reg. (1766). 147/1. A charger full of wine, which he holds with both his hands.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., viii. An immense charger of broth.
1880. Act 43 & 44 Vict., c. 24 § 25. Fermenting backs and wash chargers.
