Dictionary

sponge en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /spʌnd͡ʒ/
• spŭnj

Etymology

From Middle English sponge, from Old English spunge, taken from Latin spongia, from Ancient Greek σπογγιά (spongiá), from σπόγγος (spóngos). Displaced native Old English swamm (“fungus, sponge”).

Meanings

1. (countable) Any of various marine invertebrates 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 (countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).
   • 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. 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 5, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
3. (uncountable) The porous material that synthetic washing sponges are made of.
4. (countable, informal, uncountable) A heavy drinker.
5. (countable, uncountable) A type of light cake.
   • After six hours of work I got this amazing sponge with fresh strawberries, crème fraîche, crème chantilly, custard, crumble and meringues, something quite rich and outstanding. 2021 June 10, Marianna Giusti, “Kean Etro: ‘We basically turned paper into trees’”, in Financial Times, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Jun 2021:
6. (UK, countable, uncountable) A type of steamed pudding.
7. (countable, slang, uncountable) 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, uncountable) A person who readily absorbs ideas.
   • For this reason, we need to think of our children as sponges of information and watch their sources carefully. We also need to always model appropriate behaviour, as we are a constant source of new information. 2014, Phoeve Hutchison, Are You Listening? Life Is Talking to You!, page 145:
9. (countable) A form of contraception that is inserted vaginally; a contraceptive sponge.
10. (countable, uncountable) Any sponge-like substance. ▸ 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.
11. (countable, uncountable) Any sponge-like substance. ▸ Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.
12. (countable, uncountable) Any sponge-like substance. ▸ Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.
13. (countable, uncountable) 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.
    • The great guns ranged along the deck — each bound fast by its new breechings — with their linstocks and sponges and ladles and rammers, made no idle show of warlike strength. 1923, Charles Boardman Hawes, The Dark Frigate, Chapter 6:
14. (countable, uncountable) The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, corresponding to the heel.
15. (countable, slang, uncountable) A nuclear power plant worker routinely exposed to radiation.

Forms

Deriveds

sponge out · spongey · throw in the sponge · set a sponge · African net sponge · sponge bomb · barrel sponge · glove sponge · bacteriosponge · coralline sponge · glass sponge · globe sponge · disponge · drain sponge · urethral sponge · sponge construction · cytosponge · sponge finger · smoke sponge · spongoid · pass a sponge over the slate · spongebag pants · spongebags · chewing sponge · nanosponge · calcisponge · sponge down · demosponge · spongin · sponge-bag pants · sponge bag · menstrual sponge · sea sponge · contraceptive sponge · chuck up the sponge · spongecase · draw a sponge over the slate · honeycomb sponge · throw up the sponge · spongivore · sclerosponge · fun sponge · breadcrumb sponge · Victoria sponge · spongeware · spongoblast · sponge stick · microsponge · spongework · cyanosponge · Sierpinski sponge · tubular sponge hydroid · spongicolous · finger sponge · spongeless · sponge toffee · sheepswool sponge · kitchen sponge · sponge brush · sponge function · spongy · sponge tax · spongelike · spongeful · titanium sponge · squat sponge · sponge city · platinum sponge · sponge bath · sponge-brained · sponge rubber · lyre sponge · sponge crab · bullet sponge · Menger sponge · calcareous sponge · Turkey toilet sponge · sponge ball · sponge cake · sponge gourd · sponge cloth · sponge roll · spongelet · slime sponge · spongeworthy

Descendants

سپنج · 스펀지 · spong · スポンジ · स्पंज · sbynj · span

Relateds

foam

Synonyms

swill-tub · porifer · winesop · rumpot · bibber · lush · souse · pisshead · lusher · cupster · drunkard · bacchanal · barfly · sponge pudding · juicehead · bludger · tippler · free rider · trencher mate · boozehound · parasite · sponger · swill-pot · sponger · plonko · swill-bowl · soak · bath sponge · bummer · alcoholic · leech · sponge · swill-belly · bath sponge · winebibber · freeloader · sponge cake · alco · shicker · fuddlecap · grog artist · carouser · bacchant · tosspot · fuddler · pisspot · mooch · poriferan · dipso · tun · drinker · sot · moocher · alkie · lick-wimble · bouser · freeloader · gadfly · sea sponge · rinse-pitcher · boozer · borachio · soaker · swillking · sucker · squeeze-grape · inebriate · suck-pint · reel-pot · scunge · scrounge · guzzler · dipsomaniac · swill-flagon · slubberdegullion · wino · smell-feast · sponge · scrounger · sucker · maltworm · swill-pot · drunk · toper · booze artist · bloodsucker · souse

Translations (221)

ota سونگر (marine invertebrate) · fr éponge (marine invertebrate) · be гу́бка (marine invertebrate) · sv tvättsvamp (piece of porous material used for washing) · fr soulard (informal: heavy drinker) · uk гу́бка (marine invertebrate) · ur سِپَن٘ج (piece of porous material used for washing) · hu szivacs (piece of porous material used for washing) · et švamm (piece of porous material used for washing) · acw سِفِنج (marine invertebrate) · mk су́нѓер (informal: heavy drinker) · th ฟองน้ำ (marine invertebrate) · nv tó yitsʼǫǫsí (piece of porous material used for washing) · cs houba (porous material) · nv táłtłʼááh yilcháazhii (marine invertebrate) · ca esponja (porous material) · gl esponxa (marine invertebrate) · de Schnorrer (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · ast esponxa (piece of porous material used for washing) · rsk шпунджия (piece of porous material used for washing) · sv svampdjur (marine invertebrate) · stq Swom (marine invertebrate) · es esponja (piece of porous material used for washing) · ka საწური (piece of porous material used for washing) · acw إسفنج (marine invertebrate) · ro burete (marine invertebrate) · haw huʻakai (marine invertebrate) · la spongia (piece of porous material used for washing) · mk су́нѓер (marine invertebrate) · eu belaki (piece of porous material used for washing) · da svamp (piece of porous material used for washing) · scn sponza (piece of porous material used for washing) · ru гу́бка (marine invertebrate) · ps سپنج (piece of porous material used for washing) · tl espongha (marine invertebrate) · hy սպունգ (marine invertebrate) · la spongia (marine invertebrate) · ru тунея́дец (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · ota سونگر (porous material) · tr sünger (piece of porous material used for washing) · hu szivacsanyag (porous material) · he סְפוֹג (piece of porous material used for washing) · vi bọt biển (piece of porous material used for washing) · be гу́бка (piece of porous material used for washing) · eu belaki (marine invertebrate) · kk ысқыш (piece of porous material used for washing) · eo spongo (marine invertebrate) · sw sifongo (piece of porous material used for washing) · ast esponxa (marine invertebrate) · pt esponja (piece of porous material used for washing) · mi muremure (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · mn порлон (piece of porous material used for washing) · et nuustik (piece of porous material used for washing) · got 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐌼𐌼𐍃 (marine invertebrate) · hi इस्फ़ंज (marine invertebrate) · pdt Schwom (marine invertebrate) · ota سونگر (piece of porous material used for washing) · fi pummi (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · is svampur (piece of porous material used for washing) · az süngər (marine invertebrate) · es cafiche (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · mk сунѓер (piece of porous material used for washing) · grc σπόγγος (piece of porous material used for washing) · pl gąbka (piece of porous material used for washing) · ast esponxa (porous material) · cmn 海綿 /海绵 (marine invertebrate) · sl spúžva (marine invertebrate) · ru дармое́д (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · fi sieni (informal: heavy drinker) · vec sponxa (marine invertebrate) · km អេប៉ុងហ្ស៍ (marine invertebrate) · gl esponxa (piece of porous material used for washing) · kk губка (marine invertebrate) · ru ба́нник (mop for cleaning the bore of a cannon) · sh спу̏жва (piece of porous material used for washing) · de Schwamm (piece of porous material used for washing) · is svampur (marine invertebrate) · ro burete (piece of porous material used for washing) · ps سپنج (marine invertebrate) · vec sponga (marine invertebrate) · ckb ئیسفەنج (piece of porous material used for washing) · hi इसपंज (marine invertebrate) · oc esponja (piece of porous material used for washing) · ps سپنج (porous material) · hi स्पंज (piece of porous material used for washing) · lt kempinė (piece of porous material used for washing) · kmr îsfenc (piece of porous material used for washing) · sv spongier (marine invertebrate) · tr sünger (porous material) · grc σπόγγος (marine invertebrate) · fur sponze (marine invertebrate) · sw sponji (piece of porous material used for washing) · gu ઇસપંજ (marine invertebrate) · lt durlė (marine invertebrate) · kmr îsfenc (marine invertebrate) · nb svamp (marine invertebrate) · sh spȕžva (marine invertebrate) · aeb شفونة (piece of porous material used for washing) · ru парази́т (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · sh sùnđer (marine invertebrate) · fi siipeilijä (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · mk су́нѓер (porous material) · ce цӏанориг (piece of porous material used for washing) · fur sponge (marine invertebrate) · ro spongie (marine invertebrate) · cs houbovec (marine invertebrate) · mkj limw (marine invertebrate) · nrf êponge (marine invertebrate) · et käsn (marine invertebrate) · cs houba (marine invertebrate) · ce йашориг (piece of porous material used for washing) · fa-ira اِسْفَنْج (marine invertebrate) · mi kōtare (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · eo spongo (piece of porous material used for washing) · bg гъба за миене (piece of porous material used for washing) · th ฟองน้ำ (piece of porous material used for washing) · ko 갯솜 (marine invertebrate) · ko 스펀지 (marine invertebrate) · nb svamp (piece of porous material used for washing) · nrf êponge (piece of porous material used for washing) · uk гу́бка (piece of porous material used for washing) · ru моча́лка (piece of porous material used for washing) · gl esponxa (porous material) · cy ysbwng (piece of porous material used for washing) · ru гу́бка (porous material) · cy sbwng (piece of porous material used for washing) · oc esponga (marine invertebrate) · he סְפוֹג (marine invertebrate) · ru прижива́л (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · hy սպունգ (piece of porous material used for washing) · rsk шпонджия (piece of porous material used for washing) · sh су̀нђер (marine invertebrate) · de Schwamm (marine invertebrate) · io sponjo (marine invertebrate) · fi sieni (porous material) · ms span (piece of porous material used for washing) · hu szivacs (marine invertebrate) · fi pesusieni (piece of porous material used for washing) · el σφουγγάρι (porous material) · lv sūklis (marine invertebrate) · kmr îsfenc (marine invertebrate) · it spugna (marine invertebrate) · cs mořská houba (marine invertebrate) · el σφουγγάρι (marine invertebrate) · it spugna (piece of porous material used for washing) · kmr sunger (marine invertebrate) · acw سِفِنجة (piece of porous material used for washing) · es gorrón (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · cs houba (any spongelike substance) · ko 해면 (marine invertebrate) · fi kärki (point of a horseshoe) · gag sünker (marine invertebrate) · haw huʻakai (piece of porous material used for washing) · fa-ira اِسْفَنْج (piece of porous material used for washing) · yi שוואָם (marine invertebrate) · sh су̀нђер (piece of porous material used for washing) · nl spons (marine invertebrate) · pl gąbka (marine invertebrate) · ja スポンジ (piece of porous material used for washing) · ms bunga karang (marine invertebrate) · ur اِسْفَن٘ج (marine invertebrate) · sh spȕžva (piece of porous material used for washing) · id bunga karang (marine invertebrate) · fi sienieläin (marine invertebrate) · ko 스펀지 (piece of porous material used for washing) · gu સ્પંજ (marine invertebrate) · cs houba (piece of porous material used for washing) · haw huʻa kai (piece of porous material used for washing) · sh sùnđer (piece of porous material used for washing) · ru нахле́бник (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · tl espongha (piece of porous material used for washing) · mi kōtaretare (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · fi sieni (any spongelike substance) · cmn 海綿 /海绵 (piece of porous material used for washing) · km ពពុះទឹក (piece of porous material used for washing) · fi ehkäisysieni (form of contraception) · fr éponge (piece of porous material used for washing) · pdt Sponzh (piece of porous material used for washing) · rsk губа (piece of porous material used for washing) · fr ivrogne (informal: heavy drinker) · fi puhdistustanko (mop for cleaning the bore of a cannon) · kmr sunger (piece of porous material used for washing) · id spons (piece of porous material used for washing) · sk hubka (marine invertebrate) · ja 海綿 (marine invertebrate) · et käsn (piece of porous material used for washing) · haw huʻahuʻa kai (piece of porous material used for washing) · ar إِسْفَنْج (marine invertebrate) · sv snylta (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · ru гу́бка (piece of porous material used for washing) · mi pūngorungoru (marine invertebrate) · scn sfincia (piece of porous material used for washing) · da svamp (marine invertebrate) · vi bọt biển (marine invertebrate) · acw إسفنجة (piece of porous material used for washing) · fi siipiveikko (slang: person who takes advantage of the generosity of others) · km អេប៉ុង (piece of porous material used for washing) · scn spugna (Italianization) (piece of porous material used for washing) · te స్పాంజి (marine invertebrate) · fy spûns (marine invertebrate) · el σφουγγάρι (piece of porous material used for washing) · bo ཞ་འཐེན (piece of porous material used for washing) · uz gubka (piece of porous material used for washing) · ar سَفِنْج (piece of porous material used for washing) · hi स्पंज (marine invertebrate) · ca esponja (marine invertebrate) · kmr lûfik (piece of porous material used for washing) · es esponja (marine invertebrate) · lt pintis (marine invertebrate) · ca esponja (piece of porous material used for washing) · pt esponja (marine invertebrate) · it spugna (informal: heavy drinker) · tr sünger (marine invertebrate) · mi kōpūpūtai (marine invertebrate) · mfe leponz (piece of porous material used for washing) · qu puqyala (marine invertebrate) · pdt Schwom (piece of porous material used for washing) · bg сю́нгер (marine invertebrate) · sq sfungjer (marine invertebrate) · sh спу̏жва (marine invertebrate) · km អេប៉ុង (marine invertebrate)

sponge en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /spʌnd͡ʒ/
• spŭnj

Etymology

From Middle English sponge, from Old English spunge, taken from Latin spongia, from Ancient Greek σπογγιά (spongiá), from σπόγγος (spóngos). Displaced native Old English swamm (“fungus, sponge”).

Meanings

1. (intransitive, slang) To take advantage of the kindness of others.
   • He has been sponging off his friends for a month now.
   • You can’t go on spunging upon the women. 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 32, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
   • The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that spunges upon other Peoples Trenchers. 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
2. (qualifier:intransitive with on or upon, transitive) To get by imposition; to scrounge.
   • July 17 1735, Jonathan Swift, letter to Lord Ornery I am an utter stranger to the persons and places, except when half a score come to sponge on me every Sunday evening
   • to sponge a breakfast
   • “[…] 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. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
3. (transitive) To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.
   • How came such multitudes of our nation […] to be sponged of their plate and their money? 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
4. To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.
   • Before stepping into the bath the head should be wet with cold water, and in the bath the pit of the stomach should first be sponged. 1876, Eliza Bisbee Duffey, Our Behaviour: A Manual of Etiquette and Dress of the Best American Society, Philadelphia:
5. To suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.
6. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.
   • Lett the eyes which have looked on Idols, sponge out their unlawfull acts [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):
7. (intransitive) To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven.
8. (of dolphins, qualifier:marine biology) To use a piece of wild sponge as a tool when foraging for food.
   • Sponging is worth thinking about in some detail because it illustrates many of the challenges and sources of controversy in studying social learning and culture in wild cetaceans. 2015, Hal Whitehead, Luke Rendell, The Cultural Lives of Whales and, page 109:
   • Why do dolphins sponge instead of foraging in a more "normal" way? 2013, Pamela S. Turner, The Dolphins of Shark Bay, page 22:
   • Moreover, the females that do it seem to "sponge" relentlessly throughout the day, hunting more than other females and more than male spongers too. 2017, Janet Mann, Deep Thinkers: Inside the Minds of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises, page 153:

Forms

Deriveds

responge · spongeable · unsponged · sponge up

Synonyms

blag

Translations (26)

el σφογγίζω (to clean with a sponge) · fi siipeillä (to take advantage of others) · de schnorren (to take advantage of others) · nrf êpongi (to clean with a sponge) · la parasītor (to take advantage of others) · mi kaimātai (to take advantage of others) · grc σπογγίζω (to clean with a sponge) · es gallofear (to take advantage of others) · ca esponjar (to clean with a sponge) · ca gorrejar (to take advantage of others) · fr éponger (to clean with a sponge) · sv tatta (to take advantage of others) · bg мия с гъба (to clean with a sponge) · ru «соса́ть» (to take advantage of others) · ru паразити́ровать (to take advantage of others) · es gorronear (to take advantage of others) · sv parasitera (to take advantage of others) · fi puhdistaa sienellä (to clean with a sponge) · he ספג (to clean with a sponge) · mi kaipaoke (to take advantage of others) · ru чи́стить гу́бкой (to clean with a sponge) · ru «дои́ть» (to take advantage of others) · es cafichear (to take advantage of others) · sv snylta (to take advantage of others) · es comer la sopa boba (to take advantage of others) · mi opeope (to clean with a sponge)