sponge

sponge Definition

sponge (spunj)

noun

any of a phylum (Porifera) of simple, aquatic, sessile animals having a porous structure and a tough, often siliceous or calcareous, skeleton
the elastic skeleton, or a piece of the skeleton, of certain sponges, light in weight and highly absorbent, used for washing surfaces, in bathing, etc.
any substance like this; specif.,
1. a piece of spongy plastic, cellulose, rubber, etc., used like natural sponge
2. a pad of gauze or cotton, as used in surgery
3. a light dessert made of whipped gelatin and beaten egg whites or whipped cream
4. raised dough, as for bread
5. any of several metals, as platinum, found in a porous mass
1. a person having a spongelike capacity, as for drink, knowledge, etc.
2. Informal sponger (sense )

Etymology: ME < OE < L spongia < Gr spongia, spongos

transitive verb sponged, spong′·ing

to use a sponge on so as to dampen, wipe clean, etc.
to remove or obliterate with or as with a damp sponge: usually with out, off, away, etc.
to absorb with, as with, or like a sponge: often with up
Informal to get without cost, as by begging, imposition, etc.

Etymology: ME spongen < spongethe

intransitive verb

sponge Idioms

throw in the sponge

or toss in the sponge

Informal to admit defeat; give up: from the practice by a boxer's second of throwing a sponge into the ring to concede defeat

sponge Synonyms

Clean
wipe, wet, wash; see clean, mop.
*To use another's money
leech, sponge off, freeload*, scrounge*, mooch*, bum*; see also borrow 1.

sponge Usage Examples

Object

anemone: The drop off is over 40m but the walls are covered in sponges, anemones, soft corals and black coral.
coral: It is an ideal food for all filter feeders such as Fan worms, sponges soft corals and many more.

Converse of object

soak: The head is shaved an the cap has a natural sponge soaked in salt water stuck in it.
squeeze: When you let go of the squeezed sponge, how high does it float?

Adjective modifier

damp: Use a coarse damp sponge to gently ease the cleaning fluid across the whole area.
wet: Clean the entire top with a wet sponge or cloth, using a circular motion.
magic: Riley immediately dismissed him, and it was just left for Hreidarsson to receive his fix of the magic sponge before another Murphy corner.
chocolate: Any sponge tiers can be plain, lemon, chocolate, orange sponge or carrot cake.

Modifies a noun

spicule: These include quartz inclusions, c. 0. 1mm across and possible sponge spicules, replaced by chalcedony.
applicator: Smooth over the upper eyelids with the sponge applicator.
cake: Cut out 8 disks of the sponge cake using a circular cutter.
tampon: Company: MOON TIMES ECO SANITARY PRODUCTS Products: Organic cloth pads and sponge tampons Location: Bristol, UK.
pudding: Steamed sponge pudding topped with strawberry jam served with ice cream or custard or both.
finger: Spoon half the mixture over the sponge fingers in the dish.

Noun used with modifier

treacle: Bye for now Best Wishes Alan. alan coxon's baked treacle sponge anne2004 Posted 12:09pm Wed 1 Mar 2006 Hiya sorry!
gelatin: This could be tiny plastic beads or a gelatin sponge.
syrup: Ms Ginger Cake's meal was a great mix of Jamaican and other food and we finished with a most praiseworthy syrup sponge.
chocolate: The secret I think is in the proper chocolate sponge cake.
jam: Chloe shows us how to make daddy and his car in cake You will need One Swiss roll ( rolled jam sponge cake ).
bath: L. aegyptiaca Miller ) furnishes the bath sponge known as a loofah.

sponge Quotes

Darkness falls like a wet sponge.

—Ashbery,John Lawrence

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