Re: And, since nobody answered my question on the trifle thread about the charger--the plate that goes under the plate you actually take your food from---why are chargers called chargers? What's being charged?

well, the M-W10th, says charger a large plate or platter, from the 14c. chargen..(to charge)

going back to charge, there are 2 listing, one for the 13c., one for the 14c.

and first defination, letter e, to fill or furnish fully.. or maybe fifth, letter c, to record an item as an expence, dept or obligation

Chargers "hold" a place.. the table is set for 12, but only 11 show up? the charger sits there, "recording an obligation"-- and for the 11 who do show up, the charger sits there waiting to be filled with food... i don't know which is the "correct" answer.

Long ago, in thread, Jo (jmh) gave us a thousand details on court etiquette for the table.. i suspect the charger, is there to create an "obligation" but its just a guess. we would need a historian, with a subspecialty of 14th century table manners and since my family is the kind that was always seated below the salt -- i don't know!


my other obsession