Meaning & use
panhandling
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“panhandling” is a form of “panhandle”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The act of asking strangers for money in public places, such as on streets or outside shops.
Grammar: Uncountable: panhandling is banned in the area.
Patterns
- ban panhandling
- arrested for panhandling
The city passed a law against aggressive panhandling downtown.
He got through the winter by panhandling outside the train station.
Some residents complain about panhandling near the market.
verbintransitive
Present participle of panhandle: asking strangers for money in public.
Grammar: No object; often followed by for: panhandling for change.
Patterns
- panhandling for money
- be panhandling outside somewhere
A man was panhandling outside the grocery store.
They were panhandling for bus fare.
She felt ashamed to be panhandling on her old street.
Common combinations
- aggressive panhandling
- The council banned aggressive panhandling.
- panhandling laws
- Panhandling laws vary from city to city.
- arrested for panhandling
- He was arrested for panhandling near the stadium.
- panhandling for change
- She was panhandling for change outside the cafe.
- ban on panhandling
- The ban on panhandling was challenged in court.
Synonyms and how they differ
- begging
- Begging is the general word used worldwide, while panhandling is mostly American.
- soliciting
- Soliciting is a formal or legal word that can cover asking for money or other things.
- scrounging
- Scrounging is informal and suggests getting things from friends, not asking strangers in public.
Opposites
Word family
- panhandle verb
- to ask strangers for money
- panhandler noun
- a person who asks strangers for money
- handout noun
- money or food given to someone in need
- panhandle noun
- a narrow strip of land shaped like a pan handle
Commonly confused: panhandling or panhandle?
panhandling vs panhandle
As a noun, panhandle is also a geographic strip of land, such as the Florida Panhandle, which has nothing to do with begging.
Practice
A man sitting outside a shop asking passers-by for coins is best described as what?
Choose one answer.
Panhandling means asking strangers for money in public. Trading would involve selling something, and volunteering is unpaid helpful work.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “panhandling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.