Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A toll or duty anciently exacted from merchant strangers by mayors, sheriffs, etc., for goods offered for sale within their precincts.
  • To act as a scavenger: used only or chiefly in the derived form scavaging.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (O. Eng. Law) A toll or duty formerly exacted of merchant strangers by mayors, sheriffs, etc., for goods shown or offered for sale within their precincts.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun historical A toll or duty anciently exacted from merchant strangers by mayors, sheriffs, etc. for goods offered for sale within their precincts.
  • verb To act as a scavenger.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English scavage, schevage, schewage, from Old French *scavage, escavage, escauwage, alteration of earlier escauvinghe ("scavage"), from Middle English shewing, schewing ("inspection, examination, show"), from Old English scēawung ("a looking at, seeing, contemplation, consideration, respect, regard, reconnoitering, surveying, inspection, examination, scrutiny, a spectacle, show, appearance, pretence, a showing, exhibiting, manifestation, toll on exposure of goods"), equivalent to show +‎ -ing.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Back-formation from scavager.

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Examples

  • They will live in shanty towns, with well humanured and composted veggie patches, and scavage the ruins of once great cities like Detroit for survivalist items, pots, pans, old clothing and linens.

    Coyote Blog » Blog Archive » Those Stable, Happy 1950’s 2009

  • They have no hope, merely a mindless shriek of hatred they believe might bring down destruction on all so they can scavage the corpses.

    Obama Discusses Wright Controversy In New Web Video 2009

  • This way you will have a better shot at adding to your portfolio the assets you really want and not be stuck having to root and scavage among the leftovers, hoping to find an overlooked gem.

    Investing in Liquid Assets David Sokolin 2008

  • This way you will have a better shot at adding to your portfolio the assets you really want and not be stuck having to root and scavage among the leftovers, hoping to find an overlooked gem.

    Investing in Liquid Assets David Sokolin 2008

  • A committee was at the same time appointed to manage and let to farm to the best advantage for the City a number of offices, including those of garbling, package and scavage, metage of grain, coal, salt and fruit, as well as all fines, issues, amerciaments and estreated recognisances under the greenwax.

    London and the Kingdom - Volume II

  • In the reign of William IV. the Crown claimed and received a compensation of 300,000 pounds for giving up the passing tolls, and the Corporation itself was awarded upwards of 160,000 pounds on the abolition of the "package and scavage" dues.

    The Corporation of London, Its Rights and Privileges William Ferneley Allen

  • My clothes and other things I scavage from the trash cans and dumpsters from outside the more affluent students from the more affluent apartments!

    AlterNet.org Main RSS Feed 2009

  • The City had been brought into a better humour by a confirmation of its rights (5 Sept.) to tolls known as "package" and "scavage," and a pardon for all past offences in daring to exact such tolls. (

    London and the Kingdom - Volume II

  • The election of a successor to Kendricke on Michaelmas-day in the person of Simon Edmonds was made the occasion of fixing the amount of profits the new mayor was to enjoy from the various offices of package, scavage, metage and others. (

    London and the Kingdom - Volume II

  • Before he had been on the throne many months he granted the citizens, by charter, the right of package and scavage, as well as the office of gauger of wines. (

    London and the Kingdom - Volume I

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