conseguir com dificuldade; arranjar; mendingar; procurar desesperadamente
1. to obtain something with difficulty or by begging; to beg or borrow
He had to scrounge for loose change to buy lunch.
Ele teve que procurar desesperadamente por moedas soltas para comprar almoço.
2. to search or rummage through something to find something useful
She scrounged through the kitchen drawers looking for a pen.
Ela procurou desesperadamente nas gavetas da cozinha procurando uma caneta.
3. to ask for or obtain something without paying for it
Can I scrounge a cigarette off you?
Posso arranjar um cigarro com você?
In American English, 'scrounge' is widely used in informal contexts to describe finding or obtaining things creatively or through resourcefulness. In Brazilian Portuguese, similar concepts are expressed through 'arranjar', 'conseguir com dificuldade', or 'mendingar', often reflecting a more pragmatic approach to solving problems with limited resources. The word carries no negative moral judgment and is simply descriptive of resourceful behavior.
NYC Slang
hustle, grind, beg, mooch
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