Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 35 down vote favorite
2

What would you call someone who isn't afraid to ask for money or any kind of favor or who misinterprets someone's generosity for a consistent resource for what they need?

share|improve this question
Start here: thefreedictionary.com/bum – MετάEd Dec 18 '12 at 20:23
3  
It's worth noting the different usages of bum on the different sides of the Atlantic. For BrE, start with scrounger. – Andrew Leach Dec 18 '12 at 20:26
4  
'kind of a jerk'? – Mitch Dec 19 '12 at 3:49
It's interesting how many different words there are for this... also @AndrewLeach I find 'bum' to be quite common in Britain (e.g. 'can I bum a cigarette off you?') – Nico Burns Dec 19 '12 at 18:29

13 Answers

up vote 32 down vote

A freeloader

a person who habitually depends on the charity of others for food, shelter, etc.

share|improve this answer
up vote 30 down vote

We used the term "mooch" (def 7) when I was younger. I think that one literary offering is "takers" (Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged)

share|improve this answer
3  
You can improve your answer by providing a link to a definition of mooch. For example: thefreedictionary.com/mooch And moocher is an alternative form of the word that is more recognizable as a noun. – JLG Dec 18 '12 at 21:38
1  
I thought that the use of it as a noun was limited to my friends in high school so I didn't expect to find it in any dictionary. – Dan Dec 18 '12 at 22:41
Google it and you will find that it is, indeed, an entry in numerous dictionaries. Add a link and I'll give you an upvote and remove my comments. – JLG Dec 18 '12 at 22:46
7  
leave the comments and don't worry about an upvote. You have validated my childhood vocabulary. That's worth more to me. – Dan Dec 18 '12 at 23:02
Please add moocher into your answer – jhocking Dec 19 '12 at 5:26
up vote 26 down vote

A leech

3 : a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain

share|improve this answer
I will agree with WayfaringStranger and say the term for that type of person is leech. If Leech Attached Then SoonDead = True End If – Zaf Khan Dec 19 '12 at 5:51
@ZafKhan Is that pseudo-VB? – ctype.h Dec 19 '12 at 22:29
up vote 20 down vote

You could also call that person a sponge:

sponge n.
8. One who habitually depends on others for one's own maintenance.

The term sponger is also used to mean the same thing.

share|improve this answer
2  
Yes for sponger, which in my experience is used quite naturally in the UK to mean scrounger. But if I ever see/hear "He's a sponge", it's likely to be followed by further explanatory text (perhaps explicitly saying he sponges up other people's money, but perhaps he's a sponge for information, praise, knowledge, etc.). – FumbleFingers Dec 18 '12 at 22:15
1  
I've heard it used in a positive way to describing a child's impressive learning abilities. – dodgy_coder Dec 19 '12 at 2:57
1  
My memory is like a sponge... it's got lots of holes in it. – Mark Byers Dec 19 '12 at 8:10
up vote 12 down vote

Would you allow the Yiddish schnorrer?

“One who habitually takes advantage of others' generosity, often through an air of entitlement.”

share|improve this answer
+1 Interesting, in Austria (we speak German) that's a common used word. – schlingel Dec 20 '12 at 9:11
Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov actually was known to take (food, etc.) from others because otherwise the tzedakah funds would have gone to waste. – Adam Mosheh Dec 21 '12 at 19:16
@AdamMosheh Do you have a source for that please? – Avrohom Yitzchok Dec 22 '12 at 19:15
@AvrohomYitzchok - Unfortunately I cannot remember 100%. IIRC, however, it was in a book that is a compilation of stories that were told over by Rabbi Shlomoh Carlebach a"h. Levi Yitzchak Berditchover and also Reb Zusha of Anipoly. – Adam Mosheh Dec 31 '12 at 19:30
@AvrohomYitzchok: The 1928 Marx Brothers musical, Animal Crackers, featured a Bert Kalmer and Harry Ruby song introducing Groucho's character using the term: CHORUS: "Hooray for Captain Spalding, the African Explorer,"GROUCHO: "Did someone say a <i>schnorrer</i>?<br>CHORUS: "Hooray, hooray, hooray." <p>Indeed, Groucho's Capt. Spalding was indeed a schnorrer, moocher, and fraud, and terrific. – Bruce James Mar 13 at 17:34
up vote 11 down vote

A scrounger:

a person who borrows from or lives off others

share|improve this answer
up vote 11 down vote

One meaning of the word parasite is:

One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.

share|improve this answer
up vote 4 down vote

"Opportunist":

One who takes advantage of any opportunity to achieve an end, often with no regard for principles or consequences.

From the FreeDictionary.com

share|improve this answer
up vote 4 down vote

A taker. It's colloquial, but spot on.

share|improve this answer
up vote 2 down vote

Exploitative, as in 'tending to make use of selfishly or unethically'.

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

I'd agree with Dan; I'd call that person a mooch. From NOAD:

mooch
(verb) ask for or obtain (something) without paying for it
(noun) a beggar or scrounger

You can also use moocher in place of mooch. Wordnik defines moocher as "A person having a tendency to repeatedly ask help of others, especially if they are making little effort to help themselves."

In British English, you could also use cadge or cadger.

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

User was the first that came to mind... That person is such a user. I've also heard cat. ...Once you give, they keep on coming back.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.