burden vs charge

burden

verb
  • To impose, as a load or burden; to lay or place as a burden (something heavy or objectionable). 

  • To encumber with a literal or figurative burden. 

noun
  • A phrase or theme that recurs at the end of each verse in a folk song or ballad. 

  • The proportion of ore and flux to fuel, in the charge of a blast furnace. 

  • The capacity of a vessel, or the weight of cargo that she will carry. 

  • A responsibility, onus. 

  • The tops or heads of stream-work which lie over the stream of tin. 

  • A fixed quantity of certain commodities. 

  • Theme, core idea. 

  • The drone of a bagpipe. 

  • A cause of worry; that which is grievous, wearisome, or oppressive. 

  • The total amount of toxins, parasites, cancer cells, plaque or similar present in an organism. 

  • A heavy load. 

charge

verb
  • To place a burden, load or responsibility on or in. 

  • To cause to take on an electric charge. 

  • To move forward quickly and forcefully, particularly in combat and/or on horseback. 

  • To assign (a debit) to an account. 

  • To load equipment with material required for its use, as a firearm with powder, a fire hose with water, a chemical reactor with raw materials. 

  • To pay on account, as by using a credit card. 

  • To attack by moving forward quickly in a group. 

  • To call to account; to challenge. 

  • To impute or ascribe. 

  • To replenish energy to (a battery, or a device containing a battery) by use of an electrical device plugged into a power outlet. 

  • To commit a charging foul. 

  • To add to or represent on. 

  • To take a few steps down the pitch towards the bowler as they deliver the ball, either to disrupt the length of the delivery, or to get into a better position to hit the ball. 

  • To lie on the belly and be still. (A command given by a hunter to a dog) 

  • To require payment (of) (a price or fee, for goods, services, etc.). 

  • To ornament with or cause to bear. 

  • To assume as a bearing. 

  • To replenish energy. 

  • To assign a duty or responsibility to. 

  • To formally accuse (a person) of a crime. 

noun
  • An instruction. 

  • Someone or something entrusted to one's care, such as a child to a babysitter or a student to a teacher. 

  • A measured amount of powder and/or shot in a cartridge. 

  • A load or burden; cargo. 

  • A ground attack against a prepared enemy. 

  • The amount of money levied for a service. 

  • The scope of someone's responsibility. 

  • A forceful forward movement. 

  • An address given at a church service concluding a visitation. 

  • An official description (by the police or a court) of a crime that somebody may be guilty of. 

  • A position (of a weapon) fitted for attack. 

  • A sort of plaster or ointment. 

  • An electric charge. 

  • An image displayed on an escutcheon. 

  • Cannabis. 

  • An accusation by a person or organization. 

  • A measured amount of explosive. 

  • An offensive foul in which the player with the ball moves into a stationary defender. 

How often have the words burden and charge occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )