Charge vs Take their left flank

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Charge

Top 1,000 (very common)B1noun

Take their left flank

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Charge
 ChargeTake their left flank
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/tʃɑːdʒ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/tʃɑːrdʒ/"]/🇬🇧 //teɪk ðeə lɛft flæŋk//🇺🇸 //teɪk ðɛr lɛft flæŋk//
MeaningTo request payment for something.To attack or approach from the side on the left.
ExampleI need to charge my phone because the battery is low.We will take their left flank during the surprise attack.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelB1-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsheavy, high, nominal, impose, introduce, levy, at a charge, for a charge, charge for, free of charge, overall, personal, sole, have, take, place somebody in, in charge (of somebody/​something), in somebody’s charge, under somebody’s charge, grave, heavy, serious, bring, file, lay, allege something, sheet, on a/​the charge, without charge, charge against, bring charges (against somebody), prefer charges (against somebody), press charges (against somebody), grave, heavy, serious, bring, file, lay, allege something, sheet, on a/​the charge, without charge, charge against, bring charges (against somebody), prefer charges (against somebody), press charges (against somebody), baton, cavalry, leadtake action, take a position, take control
Antonymscredit, refund-
Common mistakesConfused with 'charges' when referring to multiple items., Using 'charge' as a noun incorrectly in casual conversations instead of using 'billing'., Mistaking 'charge' for 'change' in payment contexts.Confused with 'take the left flank' which implies a different grammatical structure., Overusing in non-military contexts where informal language is preferred.
Usage notesUsed in contexts related to billing or pricing services. Can be formal in business and informal when referring to casual payments between friends. Avoid in situations where a more specific term is appropriate.Primarily used in military contexts. Generally appropriate in discussions of tactics or strategy but less common in casual conversation.

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Charge
Take their left flank

Frequently asked questions: Charge vs Take their left flank

What's the difference between Charge and Take their left flank?

Charge: To request payment for something. Take their left flank: To attack or approach from the side on the left.

Which is more common: Charge and Take their left flank?

Charge is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Charge: I need to charge my phone because the battery is low. Take their left flank: We will take their left flank during the surprise attack.

Can I use Charge and Take their left flank interchangeably?

Not always. Charge and Take their left flank are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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