Mouched

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. To act in a way that is lazy or negligent, thereby evading responsibility or effort; to engage in a state of idleness and unproductive behavior; to exhibit a lack of initiative and drive in one's tasks or duties
2. To display a tendency to avoid work or exertion while taking advantage of others' efforts; to adopt a passive approach to activities that require engagement or participation; to be characterized by an unwillingness to contribute actively
3. To remain in a lethargic state, showing little motivation or ambition to achieve goals; to rely on the assistance of others while contributing minimally; to embody a mindset that prioritizes comfort over productivity

Etymology: "Mouched" is the past tense and past participle of "mouch," a verb meaning to loaf about lazily or to shirk work. The verb "mouch" is itself a form of "mooch," and its sense of idling or lounging around is the one it has carried since it entered English. It is a word that exists mainly in informal speech, which is why many readers meet it only in the past tense, as in "he mouched around the house all afternoon."

Synonyms: borrowed, mooched, scrounged, freeloaded, sponged

Antonyms: paid, bought, earned, owned, worked