Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense scrounges, present participle scrounging, past tense, past participle scrounged
verb
If you say that someone scrounges something such as food or money, you disapprove of them because they get it by asking for it, rather than by buying it or earning it.
[informal, disapproval]
Williams had to scrounge enough money to get his car out of the car park. [VERB noun]
The government did not give them money, forcing them to scrounge for food. [VERB + for]
Synonyms: cadge, beg, sponge [informal], bum [informal] More Synonyms of scrounge
Synonyms: parasite, freeloader [slang], sponger [informal], bum [informal] More Synonyms of scrounge
scrounge in British English
(skraʊndʒ)
verb informal
1. (whenintr, sometimes foll by around)
to search in order to acquire (something) without cost
2.
to obtain or seek to obtain (something) by cadging or begging
Derived forms
scrounger (ˈscrounger)
noun
Word origin
C20: variant of dialect scrunge to steal, of obscure origin
scrounge in American English
(skraʊndʒ)
verb transitiveWord forms: scrounged or ˈscrounging Informal
1.
to manage to get or find by hunting around
usually with up
2.
to get by begging or sponging; mooch
3.
to take without permission; pilfer
verb intransitive
4. Informal
to seek (around) for something; forage
Derived forms
scrounger (ˈscrounger)
noun
Word origin
prob. altered < scrouge
Examples of 'scrounge' in a sentence
scrounge
If I'm not detaining you... I actually came on the scrounge, Liz... "He held up his briefcase.
Skelton, Alison Scott AN OLDER WOMAN (1995)
He's come back to scrounge a meal and a bed, and he'll be off with what he's managed to steal before daybreak.
Holt, Victoria THE BLACK OPAL (1995)
In other languages
scrounge
British English: scrounge VERB
If you say that someone scrounges something such as food or money, you disapprove of them because they get it by asking for it, rather than by buying it or earning it.
He had to scrounge enough money to get his car out of the car park.
His only food was what he could scrounge.
American English: scrounge
Brazilian Portuguese: esmolar
Chinese: 讨要食物、钱等
European Spanish: gorronear
French: taper
German: schnorren
Italian: scroccare
Japanese: たかる
Korean: 우려내다
European Portuguese: esmolar
Latin American Spanish: garronear
Chinese translation of 'scrounge'
scrounge
(skraundʒ) (inf)
vt
to scrounge sth (off sb)(从(從)某人处(處))乞讨(討)某物 ((cóng mǒurén chù) qǐtǎo mǒuwù)
vi
to scrounge (off sb)(向某人)乞讨(討) ((xiàng mǒurén) qǐtǎo)
n
to be on the scrounge在行骗(騙) (zài xíngpiàn)
(verb)
Definition
to get (something) by asking for it rather than buying it or working for it