char-
the first element of charwoman, used to form words designating persons who do cleaning work, etc., as char-boy, chargirl, charlady, charmaid, charman, etc.
| 1902 Fortn. Rev. June 1005 For wages..char-boy {pstlg}8. 1966 Punch 4 May 671/2 Each charboy needs special treatment. |
| 1662 Fuller Worthies (1840) II. 116 Who, instead of their own servants, use Chair-folk in their houses. |
| 1932 G. Greene Stamboul Train iii. i. 132 The Hon. Carol Delaine..will play the part of Emmy Tod, the chargirl. |
| 1895 Westm. Gaz. 11 Aug. 8/1 She had a good post to offer to the charlady. 1927 E. Bramah Max Carrados Mysteries 109 ‘The old party there’—a comprehensive nod in the direction of the absent charlady. 1959 Times 18 Feb. 14/4 West Berliners may use them to pay their East Berlin hair dressers, tailors, and charladies. |
| 1882 Cornhill Mag. 337 Little charmaids. 1888 Pall Mall Gaz. 10 Oct., The Guards' Memorial is now given over to the charmen. 1895 Macm. Mag. July 201/1 The charmen (the men who sweep out the House of Commons). |
| 1881 Goldw. Smith Cowper ii. 24 A char-parson..who walked sixteen miles every Sunday to serve two churches. |