scrounge — to obtain something by asking or searching, especially when you have no right to it
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to obtain something by asking or searching, especially when you have no right to it
Pronunciation (IPA): /skraʊndʒ/
Example Sentences
- The college student had to scrounge for quarters to do laundry.
- She managed to scrounge up enough ingredients to make dinner.
- My roommate always scrounges my snacks when he gets hungry.
scrounge
VERB[/skraʊndʒ/]
to obtain something by asking or searching, especially when you have no right to it
He tried to scrounge a few coins from his roommates for the vending machine.
Scrounge through the lounge in grunge!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Scrounge emerged in early 20th-century American slang, likely from a blend of 'scrunch' (to squeeze or compress) and 'scrooge' (a miserly person). The term combines the sense of rummaging or searching through something with the connotation of begging or obtaining things in a miserly or resourceful manner.
Breakdown
scr- (to scrape, scratch, or rummage) + -ounge (dialectal suffix, possibly influenced by lounge). The word blends scrunch/scratch with scrooge-like behavior, creating a portmanteau meaning to hunt for or beg for something in a scrappy manner.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The college student had to scrounge for quarters to do laundry.”
“She managed to scrounge up enough ingredients to make dinner.”
“My roommate always scrounges my snacks when he gets hungry.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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