What would you call someone who imposes on other people's generosity?

Question

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?

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
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

score 54 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 01 '20 at 06:18

54

A freeloader

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

[The Free Dictionary]

edited Nov 01 '20 at 06:18

Decapitated Soul

16,598

answered Dec 19 '12 at 02:52

dodgy_coder

769

rosends · Answer 2 · 2012-12-18T23:02:31.333

42

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

edited Dec 18 '12 at 23:02

answered Dec 18 '12 at 21:07

rosends

2,475

5

You can improve your answer by providing a link to a definition of mooch. For example: http://www.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. – rosends 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
10

leave the comments and don't worry about an upvote. You have validated my childhood vocabulary. That's worth more to me. – rosends Dec 18 '12 at 23:02
Please add moocher into your answer – jhocking Dec 19 '12 at 05:26

score 35 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 01 '20 at 06:19

35

A leech

3 : a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain

[Merriam-Webster]

edited Nov 01 '20 at 06:19

Decapitated Soul

16,598

answered Dec 18 '12 at 22:08

Wayfaring Stranger

8,181

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 05:51
@ZafKhan Is that pseudo-VB? – ctype.h Dec 19 '12 at 22:29

Robusto · Answer 4 · 2016-06-27T13:01:12.260

25

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, chiefly in British English.

edited Jun 27 '16 at 13:01

answered Dec 18 '12 at 20:51

Robusto

151,571

3

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
2

I've heard it used in a positive way to describing a child's impressive learning abilities. – dodgy_coder Dec 19 '12 at 02:57
1

My memory is like a sponge... it's got lots of holes in it. – Mark Byers Dec 19 '12 at 08:10
2

In Britain it is definitely sponger. – WS2 Aug 01 '14 at 15:01

score 16 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 19 '12 at 03:10

16

One meaning of the word parasite is:

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

answered Dec 19 '12 at 03:10

ChrisGuest

481

score 14 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 18 '12 at 21:10

14

Would you allow the Yiddish schnorrer?

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

answered Dec 18 '12 at 21:10

Avrohom Yitzchok

525
3
9

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 schnorrer?
CHORUS: "Hooray, hooray, hooray."
Indeed, Groucho's Capt. Spalding was indeed a schnorrer, moocher, and fraud, and terrific.
– Bruce James Mar 13 '13 at 17:34

score 13 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 18 '12 at 20:24

13

A scrounger:

a person who borrows from or lives off others

answered Dec 18 '12 at 20:24

Matt E. Эллен

29,137

score 7 · Answer 8 · edited Dec 19 '12 at 01:58

7

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

edited Dec 19 '12 at 01:58

answered Dec 19 '12 at 01:07

sylviah

71

score 6 · Answer 9 · answered Dec 19 '12 at 00:23

6

"Opportunist":

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

From the FreeDictionary.com

answered Dec 19 '12 at 00:23

Kristina Lopez

26,536

MikeM · Answer 10 · 2012-12-19T11:59:08.153

2

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

edited Dec 19 '12 at 11:59

answered Dec 19 '12 at 10:45

MikeM

634

score 2 · Answer 11 · edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

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.

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Dec 26 '12 at 13:43

0

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.

answered Dec 26 '12 at 13:43

ywoolf

9

score -1 · Answer 13 · answered Jun 10 '14 at 12:30

-1

I call them Shameless.

They have no shame and will beg for scraps.

answered Jun 10 '14 at 12:30

Jack

137

What would you call someone who imposes on other people's generosity?

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