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.
2.
the light, yielding, porous, fibrous skeleton or framework of certain animals or colonies of this group, esp. 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.
3.
any of various other similar substances, often porous rubber or cellulose, used for washing or cleaning.
a person or thing that absorbs something freely: His mind is a sponge gathering historical data.
6.
a person who persistently borrows from or lives at the expense of others; sponger; parasite.
7.
Informal. a drunkard.
8.
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.
9.
Surgery. a sterile surgical dressing of absorbent material, usually cotton gauze, for wiping or absorbing pus, blood, or other fluids during a surgical operation.
10.
Cookery.
a.
dough raised with yeast, esp. before kneading, as for bread.
b.
a light, sweet pudding of a porous texture, made with gelatin, eggs, fruit juice or other flavoring material, etc.
11.
a disposable piece of polyurethane foam impregnated with a spermicide for insertion into the vagina as a contraceptive.
–verb (used with object)
12.
to wipe or rub with or as with a wet sponge, as to moisten or clean.
13.
to remove with or as with a wet sponge (usually fol. by off, away, etc.).
14.
to wipe out or efface with or as with a sponge (often fol. by out).
15.
to take up or absorb with or as with a sponge (often fol. by up): to sponge up water.
16.
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.
17.
Ceramics. to decorate (a ceramic object) by dabbing at it with a sponge soaked with color.
–verb (used without object)
18.
to take in or soak up liquid by absorption.
19.
to gather sponges.
20.
to live at the expense of others (often fol. by on or off): He came back home and sponged off his family for a while.
—Idiom
21.
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: bef. 1000; (n.) ME, OE < L spongia,spongea < Gk spongi; (v.) ME spongen to clean with a sponge, deriv. of the n.
Any of numerous aquatic, chiefly marine invertebrate animals of the phylum Porifera, characteristically having a porous skeleton composed of fibrous material or siliceous or calcareous spicules and often forming irregularly shaped colonies attached to an underwater surface.
The light, fibrous, flexible, absorbent skeleton of certain of these organisms, used for bathing, cleaning, and other purposes.
Porous plastics, rubber, cellulose, or other material, similar in absorbency to this skeleton and used for the same purposes.
Metal in a porous, brittle form, as after the removal of other metals in processing, used as a raw material in manufacturing.
Informal A glutton.
Slang A drunkard.
Porous plastics, rubber, cellulose, or other material, similar in absorbency to this skeleton and used for the same purposes.
Metal in a porous, brittle form, as after the removal of other metals in processing, used as a raw material in manufacturing.
Informal A glutton.
Slang A drunkard.
A gauze pad used to absorb blood and other fluids, as in surgery or the dressing of a wound.
A small absorbent contraceptive pad that contains a spermicide and is placed against the cervix of the uterus before sexual intercourse.
Dough that has been or is being leavened.
A light cake, such as sponge cake.
A sponge bath.
One who habitually depends on others for one's own maintenance.
Informal A glutton.
Slang A drunkard.
v.
sponged, spong·ing, spong·es
v.
tr.
To moisten, wipe, or clean with or as if with a sponge: sponge off the table.
To wipe out; erase.
To absorb with or as if with a sponge: sponge up the mess.
Informal To obtain free: sponge a meal.
v.
intr.
To fish for sponges.
Informal To live by relying on the generosity of others: sponged off her parents.
[Middle English, from Old English, from Latin spongia, from Greek spongiā, from spongos.]
O.E. sponge, spunge, from L. spongia "a sponge," also "sea animal from which a sponge comes," from Gk. spongia, related to spongos "sponge," borrowed from an unknown source. The Latin word is the source of O.S. spunsia, M.Du. spongie, O.Fr. esponge, Sp. esponja, It. spugna. To throw in the sponge "quit, submit" (1860) is from prizefighting, in ref. to the sponges used to cleanse the faces of combatants between rounds (cf. later throw in the towel). Sponge-cake is attested from 1808. Spongy "soft, elastic" is from 1539.
1392, "to soak up with a sponge," from sponge (n.). The slang sense of "to live in a parasitic manner" is attested from 1673; sponger (n.) in this sense is from 1677. Originally it was the victim who was known as the sponge (1602), since he or she was being "squeezed."
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
2.
someone able to acquire new knowledge and skills rapidly and easily; "she soaks up foreign languages like a sponge" [syn: quick study]
3.
a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage [syn: leech]
4.
primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies
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.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: 1sponge Pronunciation: 'sp&nj Function: noun 1: an elastic porous mass of interlacing horny fibers that forms theinternal skeleton of various marine animals (phylum Porifera) and is able when wetted to absorb liquid 2 a: a small pad made of multiple folds of gauze or of cotton and gauze usedto mop blood from a surgical incision, to carry inhalant medicaments to the nose, or to cover a superficial wound as a dressing b: a porous dressing (as of fibrin or gelatin) appliedto promote wound healing c: a plastic prosthesis used in chest cavities following lung surgery 3: an absorbent contraceptive device impregnated with spermicidethat is inserted into the vagina before sexual intercourse to cover the cervix and act as a barrier to sperm
sponge A special case of a Unixfilter that reads its entire input before writing any output; the canonical example is a sort utility. Unlike most filters, a sponge can conveniently overwrite the input file with the output data stream. If a file system has file versioning (as ITS did and VMS does now) the sponge/filter distinction loses its usefulness, because directing filter output would just write a new version. See also slurp. [The Jargon File] (1995-01-18)
n. [Unix] A special case of a filter that reads its entire input before writing any output; the canonical example is a sort utility. Unlike most filters, a sponge can conveniently overwrite the input file with the output data stream. If a file system has versioning (as ITS did and VMS does now) the sponge/filter distinction loses its usefulness, because directing filter output would just write a new version. See also slurp.
Sponge\, n. [OF. esponge, F. ['e]ponge, L. spongia, Gr. ?, ?. Cf. Fungus, Spunk.] [Formerly written also spunge.]1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of Spongi[ae], or Porifera. See Illust. and Note under Spongi[ae]. 2. The elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny Spongi[ae] (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. 3. Fig.: One who lives upon others; a pertinaceous and indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger. 4. Any spongelike substance. Specifically: (a) 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. (b) Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition. (c) Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked. 5. (Gun.) 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. 6. (Far.) The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel. Bath sponge, any one of several varieties of coarse commercial sponges, especially Spongia equina. Cup sponge, a toilet sponge growing in a cup-shaped form. Glass sponge. See Glass-sponge, in the Vocabulary. Glove sponge, a variety of commercial sponge (Spongia officinalis, variety tubulufera), having very fine fibers, native of Florida, and the West Indies. Grass sponge, any one of several varieties of coarse commercial sponges having the surface irregularly tufted, as Spongia graminea, and S. equina, variety cerebriformis, of Florida and the West Indies. Horse sponge, a coarse commercial sponge, especially Spongia equina. Platinum sponge. (Chem.) See under Platinum. Pyrotechnical sponge, a substance made of mushrooms or fungi, which are boiled in water, dried, and beaten, then put in a strong lye prepared with saltpeter, and again dried in an oven. This makes the black match, or tinder, brought from Germany. Sheep's-wool sponge, a fine and durable commercial sponge (Spongia equina, variety gossypina) found in Florida and the West Indies. The surface is covered with larger and smaller tufts, having the oscula between them. Sponge cake, a kind of sweet cake which is light and spongy. Sponge lead, or Spongy lead (Chem.), metallic lead brought to a spongy form by reduction of lead salts, or by compressing finely divided lead; -- used in secondary batteries and otherwise. Sponge tree (Bot.), a tropical leguminous tree (Acacia Farnesiana), with deliciously fragrant flowers, which are used in perfumery. Toilet sponge, a very fine and superior variety of Mediterranean sponge (Spongia officinalis, variety Mediterranea); -- called also turkish sponge. To set a sponge (Cookery), to leaven a small mass of flour, to be used in leavening a larger quantity. To throw up the sponge, to give up a contest; to acknowledge defeat; -- from a custom of the prize ring, the person employed to sponge a pugilist between rounds throwing his sponge in the air in token of defeat. [Cant or Slang] "He was too brave a man to throw up the sponge to fate." --Lowell. Vegetable sponge. (Bot.) See Loof. Velvet sponge, a fine, soft commercial sponge (Spongia equina, variety meandriniformis) found in Florida and the West Indies. Vitreous sponge. See Glass-sponge. Yellow sponge, a common and valuable commercial sponge (Spongia agaricina, variety corlosia) found in Florida and the West Indies.
Sponge\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sponged; p. pr. & vb. n. Sponging.]1. To cleanse or wipe with a sponge; as, to sponge a slate or a cannon; to wet with a sponge; as, to sponge cloth. 2. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of. --Hooker. 3. Fig.: To deprive of something by imposition. "How came such multitudes of our nation . . . to be sponged of their plate and their money?" --South. 4. Fig.: To get by imposition or mean arts without cost; as, to sponge a breakfast. --Swift.
Sponge\, v. i. 1. To suck in, or imbile, as a sponge. 2. Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on; as, an idler sponges on his neighbor. --E. Eggleston. The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that sponges upon other people's trenchers. --L'Estrange. 3. To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast, or leaven.
occurs only in the narrative of the crucifixion (Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:36; John 19:29). It is ranked as a zoophyte. It is found attached to rocks at the bottom of the sea.
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Audio Help [spuhnj] 
noun, verb, sponged, spong⋅ing.
; (v.) ME spongen to clean with a sponge, deriv. of the n.
