sponge

[ spuhnj ]

/ spʌndʒ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sponge ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any aquatic, chiefly marine animal of the phylum Porifera, having a porous structure and usually a horny, siliceous or calcareous internal skeleton or framework, occurring in large, sessile colonies.

the light, yielding, porous, fibrous skeleton or framework of certain animals or colonies of this group, especially of the genera Spongia and Hippospongia, from which the living matter has been removed, characterized by readily absorbing water and becoming soft when wet while retaining toughness: used in bathing, in wiping or cleaning surfaces, etc.

any of various other similar substances, often porous rubber or cellulose, used for washing or cleaning.

sponge bath.

a person or thing that absorbs something freely: His mind is a sponge gathering historical data.

a person who persistently borrows from or lives at the expense of others; sponger; parasite.

Informal. a drunkard.

Metallurgy. a porous mass of metallic particles, as of platinum, obtained by the reduction of an oxide or purified compound at a temperature below the melting point.

Surgery. a sterile surgical dressing of absorbent material, usually cotton gauze, for wiping or absorbing pus, blood, or other fluids during a surgical operation.

Cookery.

dough raised with yeast, especially before kneading, as for bread.
a light, sweet pudding of a porous texture, made with gelatin, eggs, fruit juice or other flavoring material, etc.

a disposable piece of polyurethane foam impregnated with a spermicide for insertion into the vagina as a contraceptive.

verb (used with object), sponged, spong·ing.

to wipe or rub with or as with a wet sponge, as to moisten or clean.

to remove with or as with a wet sponge (usually followed by off, away, etc.).

to wipe out or efface with or as with a sponge (often followed by out).

to take up or absorb with or as with a sponge (often followed by up): to sponge up water.

to borrow, use, or obtain by imposing on another's good nature, friendship, hospitality, or the like: He sponged 40 bucks from his friend and went to the city.

Ceramics. to decorate (a ceramic object) by dabbing at it with a sponge soaked with color.

verb (used without object), sponged, spong·ing.

to take in or soak up liquid by absorption.

to gather sponges.

to live at the expense of others (often followed by on or off): He came back home and sponged off his family for a while.

Idioms for sponge

throw in the sponge, Informal. to concede defeat; yield; give up: The early election returns were heavily against him, but he wasn't ready to throw in the sponge.

Origin of sponge

before 1000; (noun) Middle English, Old English < Latin spongia, spongea < Greek spongiā́; (v.) Middle English spongen to clean with a sponge, derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR sponge

6 leech.

12 wash.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sponge ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM sponge

sponge·less, adjective sponge·like, adjective spong·ing·ly, adverb un·sponged, adjective

Words nearby sponge

spondylopathy, spondylopyosis, spondyloschisis, spondylosis, spondylosyndesis, sponge, sponge bag, sponge bath, sponge cake, sponge cloth, sponge down

Example sentences from the Web for sponging

The biggest pre-election issue, Haredi sponging and shirking of military service, was captured by Yair Lapid.

What Went Wrong For Netanyahu |Bernard Avishai |January 21, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
There was one time a law at Athens, which a good deal nonplussed these sponging gentlemen so appropriately called Flies.

Curious Facts in the History of Insects; Including Spiders and Scorpions. |Frank Cowan
Sponging all over with warm vinegar is also a most invigorating thing.

Papers on Health |John Kirk
That consumptive night-sweats may be arrested by sponging the body nightly in salt water.

The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887) |Mrs. F.L. Gillette

I speak the language of nihilism, but sponging has never been the guiding motive of my action.

The Possessed |Fyodor Dostoevsky
"Get that sponging rod under the edge of the sledge, Mac," sang out Steve, a smile of confidence on his lips.

How Canada was Won |F. S. Brereton

British Dictionary definitions for sponging

sponge

/ (spʌndʒ) /

noun

any multicellular typically marine animal of the phylum Porifera, usually occurring in complex sessile colonies in which the porous body is supported by a fibrous, calcareous, or siliceous skeletal framework

a piece of the light porous highly absorbent elastic skeleton of certain sponges, used in bathing, cleaning, etc See also spongin

any of a number of light porous elastic materials resembling a sponge

another word for sponger (def. 1)

informal a person who indulges in heavy drinking

leavened dough, esp before kneading

See sponge cake

Also called: sponge pudding British a light steamed or baked pudding, spongy in texture, made with various flavourings or fruit

porous metal produced by electrolysis or by reducing a metal compound without fusion or sintering and capable of absorbing large quantities of gas platinum sponge

a rub with a sponge

throw in the sponge See throw in (def. 4)

verb

(tr; often foll by off or down) to clean (something) by wiping or rubbing with a damp or wet sponge

(tr; usually foll by off, away, out, etc) to remove (marks, etc) by rubbing with a damp or wet sponge or cloth

(when tr, often foll by up) to absorb (liquids, esp when spilt) in the manner of a sponge

(tr often foll by off) to get (something) from (someone) by presuming on his generosity to sponge a meal off someone

(intr; often foll by off or on) to obtain one's subsistence, welfare, etc, unjustifiably (from) he sponges off his friends

(intr) to go collecting sponges

Derived forms of sponge

spongelike, adjective

Word Origin for sponge

Old English, from Latin spongia, from Greek

Medical definitions for sponging

sponge

[ spŭnj ]

n.

Any of numerous aquatic invertebrate animals of the phylum Porifera.

The light, fibrous, absorbent skeleton of certain of these organisms.

A piece of absorbent porous material, such as cellulose, plastic, or rubber, used especially for washing and cleaning.

A gauze pad used to absorb blood and other fluids, as in surgery or in dressing a wound.

A contraceptive sponge.

v.

To wash, moisten, or absorb with a sponge.

Scientific definitions for sponging

sponge

[ spŭnj ]

Any of numerous aquatic, chiefly marine invertebrate animals of the phylum Porifera. Sponges characteristically have a porous skeleton, usually containing an intricate system of canals, that is composed of fibrous material or siliceous or calcareous spicules. Water passing through the pores brings food to the organism. Sponges live in all depths of the sea, are sessile, and often form irregularly shaped colonies attached to an underwater surface. Sponges are considered the most primitive members of the animal kingdom, since they lack a nervous system and differentiated body tissues or organs. Adults do not have moving parts, but the larvae are free-swimming. Sponges have great regenerative capacities, with some species able to regenerate a complete adult organism from fragments as small as a single cell. Sponges first appear during the early Cambrian Period and may have evolved from protozoa. Also called poriferan See Note at regeneration.

The light, fibrous, flexible, absorbent skeleton of certain of these organisms, used for bathing, cleaning, and other purposes.

A piece of porous plastic, rubber, cellulose, or other material, similar in absorbency to this skeleton and used for the same purposes.

Idioms and Phrases with sponging

sponge

In addition to the idiom beginning with sponge

sponge on

also see:

throw in the sponge

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sponge

noun

verb (used with object), sponged, spong·ing.

verb (used without object), sponged, spong·ing.

Idioms for sponge

Origin of sponge

SYNONYMS FOR sponge

OTHER WORDS FROM sponge

Words nearby sponge

Example sentences from the Web for sponging

British Dictionary definitions for sponging

noun

verb

Derived forms of sponge

Word Origin for sponge

Medical definitions for sponging

n.

v.

Scientific definitions for sponging

Idioms and Phrases with sponging

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sponge

noun

verb (used with object), sponged, spong·ing.

verb (used without object), sponged, spong·ing.

Idioms for sponge

Origin of sponge

SYNONYMS FOR sponge

OTHER WORDS FROM sponge

Words nearby sponge

Words related to sponging

Example sentences from the Web for sponging

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for sponging

noun

verb

Derived forms of sponge

Word Origin for sponge

Medical definitions for sponging

n.

v.

Scientific definitions for sponging

Idioms and Phrases with sponging

British Dictionary definitions for sponging