Crossword Genius

Charged item to teetotal brother's room (3,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dry cell

'charged item' is the definition.

'teetotal brother's room' is the wordplay.
'teetotal' becomes 'dry' ('dry' can be a synonym of 'teetotal').
'brother's room' becomes 'cell' (room inhabited by a monk).
'dry'+'cell'='DRY-CELL'

'to' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for dry cell that I've seen before include "Kind of battery used in smaller domestic appliances" , "Healthy accommodation for a prisoner" , "Type of battery" , "Source of power" , "Source of energy" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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