Panhandling: meaning, definitions and examples

Typically used in the context of someone asking for money or food in public places, such as on the streets or outside stores. It's a colloquial term often heard in the United States.

• He spent his days panhandling outside the subway station.
• Many people walk past without giving a second thought to the panhandler on the street corner.

This is a more general term for asking for help, money, or food, and can be used in many contexts, including serious or desperate situations. It can also be used metaphorically.

• She resorted to begging after she lost her job.
• The children went door-to-door, begging for candy on Halloween.

A formal term often used in academic or official contexts to describe the act of begging, especially in historical or religious contexts. Rarely used in everyday conversation.

• In medieval Europe, mendicancy was a common way for monks to survive.
• The city's laws on mendicancy have not changed in decades.

Colloquial and often has a negative connotation. It usually implies asking for something, typically money or cigarettes, in an informal or lazy way.

• He's always bumming cigarettes off me during breaks.
• She spent the afternoon bumming change from passersby.

This word is used when someone is asking for money, usually in a public place, without offering anything in return. It often has a negative connotation.

• He was panhandling on the street corner, asking people for spare change.
• Panhandling is illegal in some cities.

This word is used in the context of organizing events or campaigns to raise money for a cause, usually associated with charities, schools, or other non-profit organizations.

• They are planning a fundraising event to build a new playground.
• The school's annual fundraising campaign is aimed at updating its technology.

This term is used for the act of requesting donations, contributions, or support in a formal or commercial manner. It can have a legal or slightly business-oriented tone.

• The company sent out a solicitation letter to potential donors.
• Online solicitation for donations has become more common.

This term is used when gathering money or items, often for a specific purpose or cause. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

• We organized a collection for the local food bank.
• The charity is holding a collection this weekend to support homeless shelters.