General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

Hadn't come across the word before. Not sure if it could be offensive or complimentary.

2. Archaic One who frequents another's table; a hanger-on or parasite.

I happened upon it in connection with railway food:

Kitchen car design and restaurant car staffing was dominated by the need to serve the maximum number of breakfasts in a single sitting. Trenchermen could start with porridge, connoisseurs could choose real kippers. Only wimps eat scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.

Here