scavenge

/ˈskævɪndʒ/
verb
  1. To search for and collect usable items from discarded or waste material.
    • The homeless man scavenged through the trash for food and bottles.
    • After the storm, people came to scavenge wood from the damaged houses.
    • She likes to scavenge at flea markets for old furniture to restore.
  2. (of an animal) To feed on dead or decaying organic matter.
    • Crab species on the ocean floor scavenge for dead fish.
    • Vultures scavenge the remains of animals killed by predators.
    • Raccoons often scavenge in garbage bins behind restaurants.
  3. To remove harmful substances from a system or environment.
    • Plants can scavenge pollutants from the soil through their roots.
    • The chemical additive helps scavenge oxygen from the water to prevent rust.
    • The filter is designed to scavenge carbon dioxide from the air in the submarine.
Antonyms
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