to leech off
4
7.9
- phrasal verb
- /liːtʃ ɔf/
- Offensive
:
vivir a costa de
- You coast through life, you do as little as possible... ...and you leech off decent, hardworking people like me.
- just leeching off
We would have less people that are just that are just leeching off the system.
- We would have less people that are just that are just leeching off the system.
- Many narcissists are the guys who are looking to Leech off of you, all right, If not all of them.
- So whenever you pioneer something, other people start leeching off and a whole bunch of other people started doing it.
Examples
-
How lazy is it when these people refuse to improve their own country, but come to leech off ours?
Blog text (6) -
Some just came, according to Victor, to leech off his union.
Fiction book (1997) -
The 1% is leeching off my hard work either way.
Blog text (23) -
Sorry, Jack... go leech off someone else.
Blog text (1) -
Quit your job, leech off the government.
Blog text (30) -
Obama is leeching off the taxpayers.
Blog text (24) -
You're still leeching off her?
-
We were poor when I was young, but didn't leech off the government as you might suspect.
Blog text (12) -
While you're at it, train in some profession and hold a job (as opposed to leeching off welfare or your parents) so that you can pay for all those kids and thus set an example.
Blog text (7) -
You are leeching off your mom instead of finding a job.
Synonyms
75
7.8
To use people who are weak or trusting to get what you want
8
7.5
To take advantage of someone by always using their help or money without giving anything back
6
7.5
To get food, a place to stay, or other help without giving anything in return
5
8.6
To get food, money, or help from someone without paying
To take free things or help from other people without giving anything back
Antonyms
How Exploitative
1
8.0
- Offensive
4
7.9
∞
6.3
465
2.5
- Informal
6
7.5
- Informal
5
8.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The base verb 'leech' already carries a parasitic sense of taking continuously, and the particle 'off' signals taking away/from someone; together they compose the meaning 'to habitually take from someone without giving back'. This is a straightforward verb+particle composition following common English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase leech off comes from the animal leech, a small worm that sticks to someone and sucks their blood. Because the leech takes from a person without giving anything back, to leech off someone means 'to take advantage' or to use their help, money, or food without giving anything in return.