Char-woman

CHAR-WOMAN, n. A woman hired for odd work, or for single days.
[Char-man and Char-woman are, I believe, not used in America.]
CHAR, v.t.
1. To burn or reduce to coal or carbon; to reduce to charcoal, by expelling all volatile matter from wood. This is done by burning wood slowly under a covering of turf and earth.
2. To expel all volatile matter from stone or earth, by heat.
The stone or earth charred from all foreign visible ingredients.

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