public charge

American  

noun

1. a person who is in economic distress and is supported at government expense.

   He assured the American consul that the prospective immigrant would not become a public charge.

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Etymology

Origin of public charge

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Prices can vary a lot when using public charge points, depending on factors including the speed of the charger and the time of day.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2025

Lawful permanent residents with green cards do not go through a public charge determination when they apply for U.S. citizenship or green card renewals, according to the California Department of Social Services.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2023

In 2021, her group surveyed 1,000 Americans in mixed-status immigrant families to better understand what they knew about the public charge update.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2023

You might have seen warnings that there are more than 30 electric car owners "fighting over" every public charge point.

From BBC • Jul. 24, 2023

An author is a being between gods and men, who ought to be lodged in a palace, and entertained at the public charge on ortolans and tokay.

From The International Monthly, Volume 4, No. 2, September, 1851 by Various