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.
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a habitual drinker of alcohol who is frequently intoxicated.
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.
Cooking.
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 permeated 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
First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun sponge, spunge, spounge, Old English noun sponge, spunge, from Latin spongia, spongea, from Greek spongiā́; verb from the noun
I then apply a base coat of paint using a makeup sponge — latex has been added to the paint to allow flexibility and avoid cracking — over the entire mask.
Making Halloween Masks That Don’t Suck|Eugene Robinson|October 16, 2020|Ozy
This design is great for those accustomed to using a sponge, and it’s still tough enough to clean even the toughest of surfaces—like the grill after a cookout, or the cast iron after a fish dry.
Metal scrubbers to keep your cast iron skillet in pristine condition|PopSci Commerce Team|September 23, 2020|Popular Science
Picture the technology as a sort of giant sponge inserted just below ground level.
A Norwegian Startup Is Turning Dry Deserts Into Fertile Cropland|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|August 19, 2020|Singularity Hub
They use sea sponges to protect their beaks while rooting for food on the seafloor.
Dolphins can learn from their peers how to use shells as tools|Jack J. Lee|August 6, 2020|Science News For Students
Santa snacks on rice pudding in Denmark, sponge cake in Chile, Kulkuls in India, and mince pies in the U.K.
8 Facts You Never Knew About Christmas|Brandy Zadrozny|December 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The sponge players who followed Satoh are fine athletes, but the games they play have been generally unwatchable.
Marty Reisman: The Magical Hustler Who Saved a Classic Game|Harold Evans|December 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Most of the great players switched to sponge—but year after year, sponge leapfrogged from one technology to another.
Marty Reisman: The Magical Hustler Who Saved a Classic Game|Harold Evans|December 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the sponge springs back when lightly pressed.
Let Them Eat Cake!|Lydia Brownlow|May 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST
I have no idea how they made it; it was coconut milk poofed into a sponge.
Inside Spain's Most Legendary Kitchen|Katie Workman|August 25, 2009|DAILY BEAST
This sponge is specially employed for the toilet, and its price is high.
The Ocean World:|Louis Figuier
Sift flour several times before using for sponge cake, as tins causes the flour to become lighter.
Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled during Her Visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans"|Edith M. Thomas
What is more, the Sultan looked upon the governor himself as nothing better than a sponge.
The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, December 1879|Various
The goodness of all delicate cake, but specially of sponge, depends very much upon its being made with fresh eggs.
The Young Housekeeper's Friend|Mrs. (Mary Hooker) Cornelius
This sponge will absorb readily the gross impurities of the water, and can easily be taken out and cleaned once or twice a week.
Scientific American, Vol. XXXVII.--No. 2. [New Series.], July 14, 1877|Various
British Dictionary definitions for sponge
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, etcSee also spongin
any of a number of light porous elastic materials resembling a sponge
another word for sponger (def. 1)
informala person who indulges in heavy drinking
leavened dough, esp before kneading
See sponge cake
Also called: sponge puddingBritisha 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 gasplatinum 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 generosityto 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
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.