---
title: scrounger — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «scrounger» in the school dictionary: A person who often gets things from others without paying or working for them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# scrounger

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** person, this, brother, he, seagull, scrounger · **What happens:** get, pay, work, say, live off, be · **To what, where:** things, others, person, other people, unfair hurtful label, scrounger · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«scrounger» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [scrounger in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scrounger.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal, UK — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who often gets things from others without paying or working for them.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:m1:1
# text = A person who often gets things from others without paying or working for them.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
6	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	paying	pay	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	working	work	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	conj	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | a person | things |  | others |  | often *property* | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent thing=Theme from other=Source |
| 2 | **pay** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **work** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for others *= other* | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent for they=Beneficiary |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: insulting — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who is said to live off other people or the government instead of working — this is often an unfair, hurtful label.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:m2:1
# text = A person who is said to live off other people or the government instead of working — this is often an unfair, hurtful label.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	off	off	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
14	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=SCONJ	16	mark	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	fixed	_	_
16	working	work	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
17	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	25	punct	_	_
18	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	25	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
20	often	often	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
21	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
22	unfair	unfair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
24	hurtful	hurtful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	label	label	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live off** | to-infinitive |  | other people or the government |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **work** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is a** | present | this | a unfair hurtful label |  |  |  | often *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother is a scrounger — he always eats my crisps.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:x1:1
# text = My brother is a scrounger — he always eats my crisps.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scrounger	scrounger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	9	advmod	_	_
9	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	crisps	crisp	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My brother | a scrounger |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | present | he | my crisps |  |  |  | always *property* | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crisp=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The seagull is a scrounger, waiting for chips.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:x2:1
# text = The seagull is a scrounger, waiting for chips.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	seagull	seagull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scrounger	scrounger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	waiting	wait	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	chips	chip	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the seagull | a scrounger |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wait** | gerund | a scrounger *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for chips | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Stop being a scrounger and buy your own!"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:x3:1
# text = "Stop being a scrounger and buy your own!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scrounger	scrounger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	buy	buy	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | gerund |  | a scrounger |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **buy** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* | your own |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent own=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some newspapers call poor people scroungers, which is unkind.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:x4:1
# text = Some newspapers call poor people scroungers, which is unkind.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	newspapers	newspaper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	call	call	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	scroungers	scrounger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** *speech: assert* | present | some newspapers |  | poor people |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent people=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present | scroungers |  |  |  |  | unkind *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat is a real scrounger at dinnertime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:x5:1
# text = The cat is a real scrounger at dinnertime.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	scrounger	scrounger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	dinnertime	dinnertime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the cat | a real scrounger |  | dinnertime |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's a scrounger; he never brings his own pencil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scrounger:x6:1
# text = He's a scrounger; he never brings his own pencil.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	scrounger	scrounger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	brings	bring	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | He | a scrounger |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **bring** | present | he | his own pencil |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent pencil=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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