scavenge
Word family nounscavagerscavengerscavengeringscavengeryscavengingscavageverbscavenge
scav·enge /ˈskævəndʒ/ verb [intransitiveI, transitiveT] 1 HBAif an animal scavenges, it eats anything that it can find 〔动物〕以(任何找到的东西)为食 Pigs scavenged among the rubbish. 猪在垃圾堆里觅食。
scavenge for rats scavenging for food 觅食的老鼠
2 LOOK FORif someone scavenges, they search through things that other people do not want, for food or useful objects 〔人〕在废弃物中寻找 There are people who live in the dump and scavenge garbage for a living. 有些人生活在垃圾场,以捡破烂为生。
scavenge for Women were scavenging for old furniture. 女人们在翻找旧家具。
—scavenger noun [countableC] Foxes and other scavengers go through the dustbins. 狐狸和其他一些食腐动物在垃圾箱里翻找食物。
Origin scavenge (1600-1700) scavenger ((16-21 centuries)), from scavager “tax collector, someone who cleans streets” ((15-19 centuries)), from scavage “tax on goods sold” ((15-19 centuries)), from Old North French escauwage “examination”