mooch

Meaning

Verb

1. (colloquial) To wander around aimlessly, often causing irritation to others.
2. (colloquial) To beg, cadge, or sponge; to exploit or take advantage of others for personal gain.
3. (colloquial) To steal or filch.

Noun

1. An aimless stroll.
2. One who mooches; a moocher.
3. (slang) A unit of time comprising ten days, used to measure how long someone holds a job.

Synonyms

moocher

cadger

cadge

scrounger

sponge

🧽

steal

grub

bum

pilfer

borrow

loaf

beggar

play truant

scab

scrounge

skulk

Pronounced as (IPA)

/muːt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: moochen

Cognate with Old High German: mūhhōn

Cognate with Middle High German: muchen

Cognate with Middle English: muchen

Inherited from Middle English: mucchen

In summary

From Middle English moochen, mouchen (“to pretend poverty”), from Old French muchier, mucier, mucer (“to skulk, hide, conceal”), from Frankish *mukkjan (“to hide, conceal oneself”), from Proto-Germanic *mukjaną, *mūkōną (“to hide, ambush”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mūg-, *(s)mewgʰ- (“swindler, thief”).
Cognate with Old High German mūhhōn (“to store, cache, plunder”), Middle High German muchen, mucken (“to hide, stash”), Middle English müchen, michen (“to rob, steal, pilfer”). More at mitch.
Alternate etymology derives mooch from Middle English mucchen (“to hoard, be stingy”, literally “to hide coins in one's nightcap”), from Middle English mucche (“nightcap”), from Middle Dutch mutse (“cap, nightcap”), from Medieval Latin almucia (“nightcap”), of unknown origin, possibly Arabic. More at mutch, amice.