† 1. trans. To impose as a charge or duty; to command, enjoin (an action); to give (a thing) in charge. Const. to, or dat. of the person. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., V. vi. 178. Grete necessite of prowesse and vertue is encharged and comaunded to ȝow yif ȝe nil nat dissimulen.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, II. i. 17. So shall he accomplish what is encharged and commanded him as a prudent Officer. Ibid., 20. The Ensigne … the Captaine … deliuereth … vnto his Ensigne-bearer, encharging him the custodie and defence thereof.
1656. Finett, For. Ambass., 54. It was beforehand incharged to me to put them from that hope.
1828. Lamb, Lett., 25 Feb., in C. & Mary Cowden Clarke, Recoll. Writers (1878), 160. I hope Mrs. Hazlitt, to whom I encharged it, has taken Hunt’s Lord B. to the Novellos.
† 2. To enjoin or commission (a person) to do something. Obs.
c. 1535. Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 897. The whiche hath me commanded and encharged to reduce and to put by writtyng the maner.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., I. xiv. (1612), 26. He encharged the Germaines to breake in.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, II. I. 130. I have encharged Monsignor Burlemont, Auditor of the Rota, to wait upon you.
1681. P. Rycaut, trans. Gracian’s Critick, 199–200. It had [been] better he had encharged us, not to suffer [etc.].
3. To burden, entrust, commission with.
1640. Bp. Hall, Episc., III. § 1. 210. Encharging them with the flocke over which Christ hath made them Bishops?
1671. [R. MacWard], True Non-conf., 161. It is a rational and most necessary thing, that the more approven and gifted, be peculiarly incharged with the inspection of the Clergie.
1750. Beawes, Lex Mercat. (1752), 6. The Magistracy it encharged with their [laws’] Execution.
1868. R. Quick, Ess. Educ. Ref., iv. 68. A man … who found himself encharged with the bringing up of a young nobleman.
