/ tʃɑː(r); NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( -rr- )
1.
[ v , vn ] to become black by burning; to make sth black by burning it
—see also charred ➡ note at burn
2.
[ v ] ( old-fashioned , BrE ) to work as a cleaner in a house
■ noun ( old-fashioned , BrE )
1.
[ C ] = charwoman
2.
[ U ] ( informal ) tea :
a cup of char
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb sense 1 late 17th cent.: apparently a back-formation from charcoal .
noun sense 2 late 16th cent. (as cha ; rare before the early 20th cent.): from Chinese ( Mandarin dialect ) chá .