I. scrounge 1 /skraʊndʒ/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive] informal
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: scrunge 'to steal' (1900-2000) ]
to get money or something you want by asking other people for it rather than by paying for it yourself
scrounge for
a group of children scrounging for food
scrounge something off/from somebody
I managed to scrounge some money off my dad.
scrounge around (for something) American English :
Leroy would scrounge around for old car parts.
—scrounger noun [countable]
II. scrounge 2 BrE AmE noun
be on the scrounge British English informal to be trying to get money or things you want by asking other people for them