mooch

Meanings

Verb

• To wander around aimlessly, often causing irritation to others.
• To beg, cadge, or sponge; to exploit or take advantage of others for personal gain.
• To steal or filch.

Noun

• An aimless stroll.
• One who mooches; a moocher.
• A unit of time comprising ten days, used to measure how long someone holds a job.

Origin

• From Middle English moochen, mouchen, from Old French muchier, mucier, mucer, from Frankish *mukjan, from Proto-Germanic *mūk-, *mūk-, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mūg-, *(s)mewgʰ-.
• Cognate with Old High German mūhhōn, Middle High German muchen, mucken, Middle English muchen, michen. More at mitch.
• Alternate etymology derives mooch from Middle English mucchen, from Middle English mucche, from Middle Dutch mutse, from Medieval Latin almucia, of unknown origin, possibly Arabic. More at mutch, amice.