DCHP-3

mooch ((1))

< probably French dialectal muchier 'hide, lurk'
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)

Spelling variants:
mouch, monch,

v., verbal n. — Newfoundland, Education, dated

to play truant from school, to loaf or idle.

Type: 2. Preservation — The Newfoundland term mooch is a verb meaning to skip school or simply loiter. Mooch is preserved from the British term of the same spelling. EDD (s.v. "mooch"), however, marks the spelling variant "mouch" as "Nfld". Many words of West Country English origin have transferred into Newfoundland and Labrador English because many southwest English immigrants settled in the province in the late 18th century (Clarke 2010b: 7). The meaning related to truancy originally appeared in British English dialects in specific reference to blackberries (i.e. skipping school to pick blackberries) because mooch has also doubled as a nickname for the fruit. There is evidence to suggest that the term is being replaced in Newfoundland by the more recently developed phrase on the pip (see pip (2)).
See also DNE, s.v. "mooch", and EDD, s.v. "mooch", whose sub form "mouch" is labelled as "Sc. w.Yks. Lan. Stf. War.(3) w.Wor.(1) se.Wor.(1) s.Wor.(1) Hrf.(2) Glo. Brks.(1) Lon. Ken. Sur. Hmp.(1) Wil.(1) Dev. Nfld.”
See: pip(meaning 2),mooch ((2))

Quotations

1881
The query, a comet, what is it? will be postponed to a future period of investigation. A few prefatory remarks as to the period of its duration: When Adam was but a youth, mouching from school, the comet had a local habitation and a name.
1896
From the description given by Howlett, it seems likely that these were the two missing lads. At the time he met them they were beyond Kilbride. The boys had evidently decided to "mouch" from school, as their school-bags were found in one of O'Deady's bread-carts.
1907
Mouch, to play the truant from school.
1918
Mouch, to play truant, and also applied to shirking work or duty. This is the same with the old English word, variously spelled meech, meach and miche, to lie hid or skulk, hence to cower or to be servilely humble or mean. The form mouch is still retained in the north of Ireland and is common in Scotland. I lately observed it as used by the tramps in New York to denote concealing or disguising one's self. I find it also used by school boys in some parts of Nova Scotia.
1924
Monch. To play truant, loaf.
1937
MOUCH. To play truant from school.
1964
In his last years in school, Dr. Pratt had spent many days mooching (the Newfoundland word for playing hooky) to fish for brook trout.
1971
mooch -- To stay away from school.
1981
"Mooching" was indulged in by some boys; and, as it sounded very attractive, I decided one morning to see what it was like. I didn't go far from home, just down the street about fifty yards to John Street and turned around the corner and just hung around there. There was not much fun in it. [...] Although I can't recall receiving any punishment for my efforts, I never stayed away from school again.
1990
But mooch also means to idle, to hang about, to laze.

References

  • DNE
  • Clarke (2010b)
  • EDD