Sponge
[spʌn(d)ʒ] or [spʌndʒ]
Definition
(noun.) primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies.
(noun.) a porous mass of interlacing fibers that forms the internal skeleton of various marine animals and usable to absorb water or any porous rubber or cellulose product similarly used.
(verb.) gather sponges, in the ocean.
(verb.) wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten.
(verb.) soak up with a sponge.
(verb.) erase with a sponge; as of words on a blackboard.
Checker: Melva--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) Any one of numerous species of Spongiae, or Porifera. See Illust. and Note under Spongiae.
(n.) The elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny Spongiae (keratosa), used for many purposes, especially the varieties of the genus Spongia. The most valuable sponges are found in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and on the coasts of Florida and the West Indies.
(n.) One who lives upon others; a pertinaceous and indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger.
(n.) Any spongelike substance.
(n.) 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.
(n.) Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.
(n.) Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.
(n.) 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.
(n.) The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel.
(v. t.) To cleanse or wipe with a sponge; as, to sponge a slate or a cannon; to wet with a sponge; as, to sponge cloth.
(v. t.) To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.
(v. t.) Fig.: To deprive of something by imposition.
(v. t.) Fig.: To get by imposition or mean arts without cost; as, to sponge a breakfast.
(v. i.) To suck in, or imbile, as a sponge.
(v. i.) Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on; as, an idler sponges on his neighbor.
(v. i.) To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast, or leaven.
Inputed by Dennis
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Wipe (with a sponge), cleanse.[2]. Dampen, wet.
Typed by Jolin
Definition
n. a fixed usually marine animal with pores in the body-wall and without tentacles: the fibrous framework of such remarkable for its power of sucking up water: any sponge-like substance as dough before it is kneaded and formed: any cringing hanger-on or parasite a drunken fellow: an instrument for cleaning cannon after a discharge: the heel of a horse's shoe.—v.t. to wipe with a sponge: to wipe out absorb up with a sponge: to wipe out completely: to destroy.—v.i. to suck in as a sponge: to gain by mean tricks to live on others by some mean subterfuge or other.—ns. Sponge′cake a very light sweet cake of flour eggs and sugar; Sponge′let a little sponge.—adjs. Sponge′ous Spon′giōse Spongiolit′ic.—n. Spong′er one who uses a sponge: a person or vessel engaged in fishing for sponges: an apparatus for sponging cloth by means of a perforated adjustable cylinder: a sponge or parasite.—adjs. Spongic′olous inhabiting sponges; Spong′iform resembling a sponge: porous.—ns. Spong′iness porous quality; Spong′ing-house a bailiff's lodging-house for debtors in his custody before their committal to prison; Spon′giōle the spongy tissue of a root-tip; Spon′giolite a fossil sponge spicule.—adj. Spongoid (spong′goid).—ns. Spongologist (spong-gol′ō-jist) one devoted to the study of sponges; Spongology (spong-gol′ō-ji) the knowledge about sponges.—adj. Spong′y like a sponge absorptive: of open texture porous: wet and soft: drunken.—Set a sponge to leaven a small mass of dough with which to leaven a large quantity; Throw up the sponge to acknowledge defeat by throwing into the air the sponge with which a boxer is rubbed down between rounds: to give up any contest.
Checked by Abby
Unserious Contents or Definition
Sponges seen in a dream, denote that deception is being practised upon you. To use one in erasing, you will be the victim of folly.
Typed by Jerry
Examples
- It was better than wetting our sponge with our tears; both less loss of time where tears had to be waited for, and a better effect at last. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. North and South.
- Then she recovered, turned, and came for towel and sponge. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- But now--that little BUT passed like a sponge over all his vows. Edith Wharton. The House of Mirth.
- Mix and apply with a small, soft sponge. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- Mr. Rochester put the now bloody sponge into my hand, and I proceeded to use it as he had done. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- An old tin can or a sponge may serve to bale out water from a leaking rowboat, but such a crude device would be absurd if employed on our huge vessels of war and commerce. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- Sit down and let me sponge it with vinegar. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- Keep a pie pan filled with water in the ventilator for moisture and keep two or three moist sponges in the egg drawer, displacing a few eggs for the purpose. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- Diving, aside from the pleasure afforded to good swimmers, is important in many different industries, particularly in fishing for pearls, corals, sponges, etc. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Another important application is that of fishing for pearl shells, sponges and coral. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Watch-guards and toasting-forks were alike at a discount, and pencil-cases and sponges were a drug in the market. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- No sprinkling is required if the sponges are kept moist. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- Mr. Rochester opened the shirt of the wounded man, whose arm and shoulder were bandaged: he sponged away blood, trickling fast down. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- To transfer the drawing from paper on to the stone, the paper is first sponged with diluted nitric acid, which decomposes the size, and renders it bibulous. Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- Come, come, my girl, I said, your past life is all sponged out. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- But, he was on his feet directly, and after sponging himself with a great show of dexterity began squaring again. Charles Dickens. Great Expectations.
Edited by Clio