▪ I. mooching, vbl. n.
(ˈmuːtʃɪŋ)
[f. mooch v. + -ing1.]
1. Begging; sponging, scrounging. slang and dial.
| 1899 ‘J. Flynt’ Tramping with Tramps i. 145 Moochin' spiles workin' jes ez workin' spiles moochin'. 1979 L. Derwent Border Bairn i. 17 The tramps were adepts at mooching, and never refused any cast-off. 1987 Observer (Colour Suppl.) 4 Oct. 63/1 The English talent for freeloading, which also goes by the names of sponging, leeching and the more American mooching. |
2. Western U.S. and Canad. A method of angling from a stationary or slow-moving boat, using light tackle and a small fish as bait.
| 1947 C. Haury in H. W. Howard Salmon Fishing on Puget Sound 85 Mooching, a term applied to a combination of slow trolling with spinning gear is one of the most effective and popular ways of catching salmon. 1960 Duncan (B.C.) Cowichan Leader 28 Apr. 7/1 Mooching just consists of dropping a line over the side of a boat with a weight attached to take it to the required depth, and a herring strip attached to a hook for bait. 1963 Sun (Vancouver) 3 July 19/1 By ‘mooching’ I mean mostly drifting with light tackle for heavy fish. 1975 H. Evans in H. White Raincoast Chron. (1976) 222/1 Mooring his boat..he started casting with straight herring for bait... So began what is currently known as mooching. 1980 D. Nuttall Mooching i. 15 The two distinguishing features of mooching should be that there be no dodger or flasher and the tackle must be basically designed for still fishing or moving very slowly. |
▪ II. mooching, mouching, ppl. a.
(ˈmuːtʃɪŋ)
[f. mooch v. + -ing2.]
That ‘mooches’.
| 1862 Hughes in Macm. Mag. V. 250/1 And the yuckle did scraam, ‘Let us peck out his eyes’ ‘Zich a girt mouchin wosbird deserves to be caddled’. 1888 Bury Times 28 Jan. 7/5 The Mouching Fraternity.—James Thompson..and John Sullivan..were charged with begging at Walmersley. |