English Explanatory Dictionary

scrounge

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To hunt about, especially for something of nominal value; to scavenge or glean.
  2. To obtain something of moderate or inconsequential value from another.
noun
  1. Someone who scrounges; a scrounger.
  2. An act of scrounging; a trip taken for the purpose of scrounging.

Pronunciation

/ˈskɹaʊ̯nd͡ʒ/ en-us-scrounge.ogg /ˈskɹæʊ̯nd͡ʒ/ /ˈskɹaːnd͡ʒ/

Word forms

scrounge scrounges scrounging scrounged

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.

Synonyms

beg bum mump scrounge scunge tap wheedle blag cadge leech sponge freeload mooch

Related words

scrounger scringe scrooge scrouge scrunge

Derived words

on the scrounge scrounge down scrounge out scrounger scrounge up
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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