Freeloads

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. to take advantage of someone's hospitality or generosity without offering anything in exchange
2. to receive support or resources without reciprocating, often relying on others for sustenance or aid
3. Obtains benefits or services from others without contributing or repaying

Etymology: "Freeloads" is the third-person singular present of "freeload," a verb formed from "free" and "load" in the sense of a burden or weight carried. The root "load" is Old English "lad," meaning a way or journey, and it only shifted toward "burden" in the sense of something borne through later usage; "freeload" is a compound built on that later sense of load. The first recorded use of "freeload" is generally dated to the mid-19th century in American English, and the compound is usually understood as a play on "free" plus the "load" that a person would otherwise carry. Its earliest meaning was closer to eating or living at someone else's expense, and the sense of simply mooching or taking support without giving anything back developed from that.

Synonyms: sponges, leechers, parasites

Antonyms: contributes, supports