Late 1800s
Still common
Definition
To avoid work, slack off, freeload.
Example Sentence
"He bludged off me all weekend."
Where "Bludge" Comes From
Traces back to "bludger," a 19th-century term for a pimp or standover man who lived off others' earnings, itself possibly linked to "bludgeon" for the weapon such men carried.
The meaning softened considerably over the 20th century from something genuinely sinister into today's much lighter sense of slacking off or mooching.
How Aussies Actually Use It
Covers everything from skipping chores to living off a mate's generosity — "he bludged off me all weekend" implies freeloading without much shame about it.
"Bludger" is the go-to noun for someone who habitually avoids pulling their weight, whether at work, at home, or splitting a bill.
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