cadge

/kæd͡ʒ/

//kæd͡ʒ// verb

"cadge" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cadge” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To tie, fasten.

Corpus desk

Index EN-cadge · cadge · English

cadge · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for cadge
PropertyValue
Headwordcadge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kæd͡ʒ/
Letters5
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “cadge” in English

cadgefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cadge is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /kæd͡ʒ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for cadge in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English caggen (“to tie, fasten, bind”), probably from Old Norse. Compare Old Norse kǫgurr (“quilt”), kǫgurbarn (“swaddled child”). The correct English form is cadge, spelled C-A-D-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To tie, fasten.
  2. 2
    To beg.
  3. 3
    To obtain something by wit or guile; to convince people to do something they might not normally do.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how cadge appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Cadging on the fly is a profitable occupation in the vicinity of bathing places, and large towns. A person of this description frequently gets many shillings in the course of the day
  2. Are ye gannin te cadge a lift of yoer fatha?

Etymology

From Middle English caggen (“to tie, fasten, bind”), probably from Old Norse. Compare Old Norse kǫgurr (“quilt”), kǫgurbarn (“swaddled child”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cadge"?
"cadge" is spelled C-A-D-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kæd͡ʒ/.
What does "cadge" mean?
As a verb, "cadge" means: To tie, fasten.
How do you pronounce "cadge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cadge" is /kæd͡ʒ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cadge"?
From Middle English caggen (“to tie, fasten, bind”), probably from Old Norse. Compare Old Norse kǫgurr (“quilt”), kǫgurbarn (“swaddled child”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list