loot landlords during famine; sponge off the rich
Meanings
2 senses · 7 examplesverb phrase
during famines, for starving peasants to band together to loot grain or demand meals from landlords and the wealthy
archaicA historical practice during food crises, reflecting social conflict. Now used metaphorically.
During the Republican era, whenever there was a famine, starving peasants often looted the landlords.
The novel depicts the tragic scene of peasants looting the landlords.
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'Eating from the big households' was a primitive form of peasant resistance in the past.
verb phrase
to sponge off a well-off person or unit; to freeload under some pretext
informalA modern figurative usage, often implying taking advantage of someone's wealth or resources without justification.
Every time he comes, he says he's visiting an old classmate, but he's really just here to sponge off me.
Some departments treat successful enterprises as targets they can freeload from at will.
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Let's not always have Lao Wang pay for our gatherings; we can't keep sponging off him.
That relative stays for a long time whenever they visit, clearly coming to freeload.