1. Literally, to search for something by rooting around in rubbish or refuse. There is a large population of impoverished people who spend their days scavenging around for food and useful items in the town dump. I came across a family of raccoons scavenging for food in the dumpster behind our office.

2. By extension, to search all over some are or throughout some cluttered space for a particular thing, especially in a desperate, last-minute manner. I hate having to scavenge for a pen every other day. It's high time I clean up and organize this office! We've been scavenging around for a motor that will work with the prototype, but none of these are compatible.