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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SCUNGE, v., n. Also skunge, scunje, skoonge; skonzj (Jak.); squeenge, skweenge, skweenje and deriv. squeengie (Bch.). [skʌndʒ, sku-, Bch. skwindʒ(i)]

I. v. 1. To prowl or slink about, of a dog looking for food or of human beings “on the mooch”, to sponge, scrounge (Uls. 1904 E.D.D.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Ayr. 1912 D. McNaught Kilmaurs 298; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 266; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh., ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a), wm., sm.Sc. 1969). Hence scunger, squeenger, a prowler, “moocher” (Mry., Bnff., Abd. 1969); skweengy, skweenjee, given to prowling or prying, inquisitive (Abd. 1924 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 56). Also ppl.adj. scungin, skweengin.Abd. 1832 J. Pratt Jamie Fleeman (1912) 35:
Hame wi' you, ye scunging tyke, hame!Dmb. 1844 W. Cross Disruption xxxi.:
Neither will ye scunge after the gentry like M'Quirkie.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories (Ser. 2) 106:
His worship, in skoongin' for siller.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 20:
He eese't te gyang scungin aboot wi' a motor bike.Bch. 1925 R. L. Cassie Gangrel Muse 29:
We wud squeengie throwe a' thing 'at ever hid prent.Arg.¹ 1934:
He's come tae the toon jist tae scunge on his freens.Bch. 1944 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 370:
The tink sits sidelins on the float, a cowt atween the theats, A skweengin' bikk ahin the wheels.Per.⁴ 1960:
He's aye skungin aboot tae see what he can get.Abd. 1966 Huntly Express (30 Sept.) 2:
It's maybe been a scunjin' dog.Arg. 1992:
An then they'd be round there scungin. Abd. 1993:
Oot o here, ye scungin tyke! Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 25:
The rottan's pykit teeth chudder the barley seck,
The skweengin hoolet clooks the moosie's wyme,
The ravenous futtrit sooks the livrock's breist.

2. To rummage about, as in a drawer or cupboard (ne.Sc. 1950).

II. n. One who scunges, a scrounger, sponger, prowler after food, etc. (Ayr. 1910; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 266; Lth., Bwk., Arg., Ayr., sm.Sc. 1969).Kcb.⁴ 1900:
A scunge has a crappin' for a' corns.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 184:
Jock, ye scunge! Come oot the dresser.Inv. 1948 Football Times (11 Sept.):
“You great big skunge,” meaning that you were always on the “mootch”.