cadge
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To beg in an artful, wheedling manner.—North. In Scotland to CADGE is to wander, to go astray. See under CODGER.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “cadge” mean?
To beg in an artful, wheedling manner.—North. In Scotland to CADGE is to wander, to go astray. See under CODGER.
Is “cadge” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.