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Scrounge vs Rummage - What's the difference?

scrounge | rummage |

As verbs the difference between scrounge and rummage

is that scrounge is to hunt about, especially for something of nominal value; to scavenge or glean while rummage is (nautical) to arrange (cargo, goods, etc) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.

As nouns the difference between scrounge and rummage

is that scrounge is someone who scrounges; a scrounger while rummage is (obsolete) commotion; disturbance.

scrounge

English

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To hunt about, especially for something of nominal value; to scavenge or glean.
  • * 1965 , (Bob Dylan), (Like a Rolling Stone)
  • Now you don't seem so proud about having to be scrounging your next meal.
  • To obtain something of moderate or inconsequential value from another.
  • As long as he's got someone who'll let him scrounge off them, he'll never settle down and get a full-time job.

    Synonyms

    * (obtain from another) blag, cadge (UK), leech, sponge, wheedle

    Derived terms

    * scrounger

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone who scrounges; a scrounger.
  • See also

    * scringe * scrooge * scrouge * scrunge

    rummage

    English

    Verb

    (rummag)
  • (nautical) To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.
  • (nautical) To search a vessel for smuggled goods.
  • To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged.
  • * Howell
  • Hesearcheth his pockets, and taketh his keys, and so rummageth all his closets and trunks.
  • * (Matthew Arnold) (1822-1888)
  • What schoolboy of us has not rummaged his Greek dictionary in vain for a satisfactory account!
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist), author=Lexington
  • , title= Keeping the mighty honest , passage=British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.}}
  • To hastily search for something in a confined space and among many items by carelessly turning things over or pushing things aside.
  • * , chapter=8
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=Philander went into the next room

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Commotion; disturbance.
  • A thorough search, usually resulting in disorder.
  • * Walpole
  • He has such a general rummage and reform in the office of matrimony.
  • An unorganized collection of miscellaneous objects; a jumble.
  • (nautical) A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship; also, the act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of packages incident to close stowage; formerly written romage .
  • Quotations

    ''"And this, I take it,
    ''Is the main motive of our preparations
    ''The source of this our watch, and the chief head
    Of this post-haste and rummage in the land."
    - Horatio, in "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, act 1 scene 1 l 103-106

    See also

    * rummage sale