Free Loader Red

Illustrated man salivating while eating sandwich. White text on red background.

A "freeloader" is someone who takes advantage of the charity, generosity, or hospitality of others. It was possibly originated as a trucker’s slang for "somebody who had goods carried along with somebody else's cargo at no charge." But by 1930s, its meaning had shifted to mean the sponger or schnorrer.

Its first documented use could be found in Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, N.Y.) on August 23rd, 1933: "He was inducted into office as the new president of Madison Square Garden..with the customary beefsteak gorging ceremonies and all the members of the freeloaders association in attendance." It was also alleged that "Freddie the Freeloader," a character from  50s-60s TV program The Red Skelton Show, popularized the word.