scrounge

3 definitions • 4 examples

to get things, especially money or food, by asking for them instead of buying them or working for them:

Peter never buys anything - he just scrounges (off his friends).

Someone who is on the scrounge is asking people for things or for money:

At college he was always broke and on the scrounge.

to get something by asking for it instead of buying it or working for it, or to gather something you want or need from what is available:

[ T ] Baxter scrounged furniture and equipment from local businesses.

[ I ] A black cat scrounged through piles of litter.