See Also: scavenge(dictionary)
scavenge(dictionary)

scavenge (iou)



scavenge verb & noun. M17.
[Back-form. from SCAVENGER noun.]
A. verb.
verb trans. Clean out (dirt etc.). Long rare. M17.
verb trans. & intrans. Remove dirt from (the streets); remove waste from (the surface of a river). M19.
verb intrans. & trans. Search for and collect (anything usable) from amongst usu. discarded material (freq. foll. by for). Also (of an animal or bird) feed on (carrion). L19.
B. Bettelheim Starving prisoners..scavenged for potato peelings in the refuse containers. A. Carter Mangy dogs scavenged in an enormous midden. B. Lopez A..rookery, beneath which the bear had scavenged dead birds.
verb trans. & intrans.
a. Remove (the combustion products) from the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine during the return stroke of the pistons. L19.
b. Chemistry. Combine with or remove (free radicals, electrons, etc.). M20.
b. noun. The action or process of scavenging, esp. the removal of combustion products from the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine; an act of scavenging. E20.