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# scrounger

noun (a scrounger, scroungers)

«scrounger» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal, UK) A person who often gets things from others without paying or working for them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#m1)
2. (insulting) A person who is said to live off other people or the government instead of working — this is often an unfair, hurtful label. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life, a scrounger asks for your sweets, pens or money all the time. In the news, "benefit scroungers" is a harsh phrase some newspapers use; many people say it unfairly blames poor or sick people. In stories, a scrounger can be a funny, cheeky character. Phrases: a bit of a scrounger, benefit scrounger.

### Examples

- My brother is a scrounger — he always eats my crisps. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#x1)
- The seagull is a scrounger, waiting for chips. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#x2)
- "Stop being a scrounger and buy your own!" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#x3)
- Some newspapers call poor people scroungers, which is unkind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#x4)
- The cat is a real scrounger at dinnertime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#x5)
- He's a scrounger; he never brings his own pencil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/#x6)

### Note

Informal, often insulting. Verb: scrounge (scrounge, scrounged). Be careful: calling people "scroungers" can be cruel; many who get help cannot work.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «scrounger» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scrounger/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«scrounger» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scrounger.html) on Mova free.