Sponge

Pronunciation

• enPR: spÅ­nj, IPA: /spÊŒndÊ’/
• Rhymes: -ÊŒndÊ’

Origin

Old English spunge, from Latin spongia, from Ancient Greek σπογγιά, related to σπόγγος.

Full definition of sponge

Noun

1. (countable) Any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.
2. (countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).
• 1913, w, Lord Stranleigh Abroad Chapter 5, She removed Stranleigh’s coat with a dexterity that aroused his imagination. The elder woman returned with dressings and a sponge, which she placed on a chair.
3. (uncountable) A porous material such as sponges consist of.
4. (informal) A heavy drinker.
5. (countable, uncountable) A type of light cake; sponge cake.
6. (countable, uncountable, British) A type of steamed pudding.
7. (slang) A person who takes advantage of the generosity of others (abstractly imagined to absorb or soak up the money or efforts of others like a sponge).
8. (countable) A form of contraception that is inserted vaginally; a Contraceptive sponge.
9. Any spongelike substance.
1. Dough before it is kneaded and formed into loaves, and after it is converted into a light, spongy mass by the agency of the yeast or leaven.
2. Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.
3. Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.
10. A mop for cleaning the bore of a cannon after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood, covered with sheepskin with the wool on, or cloth with a heavy looped nap, and having a handle, or staff.
11. The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel.

Synonyms

• (marine invertebrate) sea sponge, bath sponge, poriferan
• (piece of porous material used for washing) bath sponge
• (light cake) sponge cake
• (type of steamed pudding) sponge pudding
• (person) freeloader, sponger

Derived terms

• breadcrumb sponge
• demosponge
• sea sponge
• spongey
• sponge bath
• sponge cake

Verb

1. (intransitive, slang) To take advantage of the kindness of others.
• L'EstrangeThe fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that sponges upon other people's trenchers.
2. He has been sponging off his friends for a month now.
3. (transitive) To get by imposition; to scrounge.
• 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 13, “… They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes.
4. to sponge a breakfast
5. (transitive) To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.
• SouthHow came such multitudes of our nation ... to be sponged of their plate and their money?
6. To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.
7. To suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.
8. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.
9. (intransitive) To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven.

Synonyms

• blag