scrounge
/ˈskɹaʊ̯nd͡ʒ/ verb, noun
Forms scrounges scrounging scrounged
- verb (ambitransitive) To hunt about, especially for something of nominal value; to scavenge or glean. “scrounge for food”
- verb (intransitive) To obtain something of moderate or inconsequential value from another. “As long as he's got someone who'll let him scrounge off them, he'll never settle down and get a full-time job.”
- noun Someone who scrounges; a scrounger.
- noun An act of scrounging; a trip taken for the purpose of scrounging.
Synonyms
blag cadge leech sponge freeload mooch beg bum mump scunge tap wheedle forage schnorr shnorr
Etymology
1915, alteration of dialectal scrunge ("to search stealthily, rummage, pilfer") (1909), of uncertain origin, perhaps from dialectal scringe ("to pry about"); or perhaps related to scrouge, scrooge ("push, jostle") (1755, also Cockney slang for "a crowd"), probably suggestive of screw, squeeze. Popularized by the military in World War I.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “scrounge”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details