scavage

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English scavage, schevage, schewage, from Anglo-Norman escavage, escauwage, alteration of earlier escauvinghe (“scavage”), from Middle English shewing, schewing (“inspection, examination, show”), from Old English sċēawung (“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. Doublet of shewage.

Noun

scavage (countable and uncountable, plural scavages)

1. (historical) A tax on non-resident merchant goods by city officials for resident merchant advantage, similar to a tariff.

Etymology 2

Back-formation from scavager.

Verb

scavage (third-person singular simple present scavages, present participle scavaging, simple past and past participle scavaged)

1. To act as a scavenger, to scavenge.