to gnaw; to nibble; to bite; to dabble in; to know a little bit about; to learn a little of
to bite into; to sink one's teeth into; to stick to; to cling to; to hold on to
to have a smattering knowledge of
to depend on someone else's (financial) support (usu. one's parents'); (lit.) to gnaw on (someone's) shin
to depend on one's parents' (financial) support; (lit.) to gnaw at one's parents' shins
superficial knowledge; smattering; dabbler; dilettante; dipping into
sponger (e.g. off one's parents); hanger-on; freeloader; leech; (lit.) shin gnawer
to nibble at; to have a smattering of knowledge
to gnaw at and scatter around; to dabble in many things but give up quickly