Library / English Dictionary

CHAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: charred    , charring   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of several small trout-like fish of the genus Salvelinus

Synonyms:

char; charr

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("char" is a kind of...):

salmonid (soft-finned fishes of cold and temperate waters)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "char"):

Arctic char; Salvelinus alpinus (small trout of northern waters; landlocked populations in Quebec and northern New England)

Holonyms ("char" is a member of...):

genus Salvelinus; Salvelinus (brook trout)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A human female employed to do housework

Example:

I have a woman who comes in four hours a day while I write

Synonyms:

char; charwoman; cleaning lady; cleaning woman; woman

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("char" is a kind of...):

cleaner (someone whose occupation is cleaning)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A charred substance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("char" is a kind of...):

atomic number 6; C; carbon (an abundant nonmetallic tetravalent element occurring in three allotropic forms: amorphous carbon and graphite and diamond; occurs in all organic compounds)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "char"):

animal black; animal charcoal; bone black; bone char (black substance containing char in the form of carbonized bone; used as a black pigment)

snuff (the charred portion of a candlewick)

Derivation:

char (burn to charcoal)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color

Example:

the flames scorched the ceiling

Synonyms:

blacken; char; scorch; sear

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "char" is one way to...):

burn (damage by burning with heat, fire, or radiation)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "char"):

singe; swinge (burn superficially or lightly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Burn to charcoal

Example:

Without a drenching rain, the forest fire will char everything

Synonyms:

char; coal

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Hypernyms (to "char" is one way to...):

burn; combust (cause to burn or combust)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

char (a charred substance)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The team of researchers, from the University of Cambridge and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, also plans to look at what happens to heat flow in bamboo when its surface is burned and forms char.

(Visualising heat flow in bamboo could help design more energy-efficient and fire-safe buildings, University of Cambridge)

Among participants who reported eating at least two servings of red meat, chicken or fish a week, the analysis revealed that the risk of developing high blood pressure was: 17 percent higher in those who grilled, broiled, or roasted beef, chicken or and fish more than 15 times/month, compared with less than 4 times a month. 15 percent higher in those who prefer their food well done, compared with those who prefer rarer meats. 17 percent higher in those estimated to have consumed the highest levels of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) — chemicals formed when meat protein is charred or exposed to high temperatures — compared to those with the lowest intake.

(High Temp Grilled Meat May Raise Blood Pressure, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The torn bird, the pail of blood, the charred bones, all the mystery of that weird kitchen?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They had spent the morning raking among the ashes of the burned wood-pile, and besides the charred organic remains they had secured several discoloured metal discs.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You can see that it is quite charred all down one side.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I saw my master approach the dressing-table, hold the papers in the flame of the candle, throw their charred ashes into the grate, and sweep the golden pieces into a small brown canvas bag.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The charred ashes of the overnight fire lay in the grate.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Besides the signs of a struggle in the room of the unfortunate builder it is now known that the French windows of his bedroom (which is on the ground floor) were found to be open, that there were marks as if some bulky object had been dragged across to the wood-pile, and, finally, it is asserted that charred remains have been found among the charcoal ashes of the fire.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)