verb (gerund/present participle)
mendicância, pedição, parasitismo
1. The act of asking for or obtaining something (especially food or money) without paying for it; begging or scrounging
He was caught mooching cigarettes from his coworkers.
Ele foi pego mendigando cigarros dos colegas de trabalho.
2. Moving or wandering aimlessly; loitering
The teenagers were just mooching around the mall.
Os adolescentes estavam apenas vagando sem propósito pelo shopping.
3. Living off others without contributing; being a parasite or freeloader
He's been mooching off his parents for years.
Ele tem vivido de forma parasitária com seus pais por anos.
In American English, 'mooching' is widely understood in both urban and suburban contexts, often used humorously or critically. In Brazil, the concept is expressed through various terms depending on region and context, with 'mendicância' being more formal and 'pedição' more colloquial. The behavior is generally viewed negatively across both cultures, associated with laziness or lack of self-sufficiency.
NYC Slang
bumming, grifting, panhandling - common in NYC street culture
Related Idioms & Phrases
mooch off someone - viver à custa de alguém
mooch around - vagar sem rumo
on the mooch - à procura de algo para pedir
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