1
- a written grant by the sovereign or legislative power of a country, by which a body such as a borough, company, or university is created or its rights and privileges defined（一国君主或立法机构对建立自治城镇、公司或大学, 或明确说明其权利和特权的）特许状, 凭照, 许可证。
1.1
- a written constitution or description of an organization's functions宪章; 共同纲领。
1.2
- with modifier(in the UK) a written statement of the rights that a specified group of people has or should have（英国）权利书：
the standard set by the patient's charter.
病人权利书规定的标准。
1.3
a charter for
a decision or piece of legislation regarded as enabling people to engage more easily in a specified undesirable activity（颁给特定不当行为的）许可证：he described the act as a charter for vandals.
他说那项法令是颁给破坏公物者的许可证。
2
- mass noun the hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose（飞机、船只、机动车的）租用, 包租：
a plane on charter to a multinational company.
一家跨国公司的包机。
2.1
- count noun a ship or vehicle that is hired包租船; 包租车。
2.2
- count noun a trip made by a ship or vehicle under hire租船（或车）旅行：
he liked to see the boat sparkling clean before each charter.
每次租船旅行前, 他总要求船只洁净光亮。
with obj.
1
- usu. as adj. chartered grant a charter to (a city, university, or other body)授予（城市, 大学, 其他团体）特许状：
chartered corporations.
有特许状的公司。
2
- hire (an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle)租用（飞机, 船只, 机动车）。
词源
Middle English: from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula, diminutive of charta 'paper' （see CARD1）.