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Plural / 3rd person of sponge. Showing the entry for sponge.

sponge

UK/spʌnd͡ʒ/ US/ˈspʌndʒ/ fairly common informal slang uk
verb (5) noun (4)

verb

1.

wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten

2.

ask for and get free; be a parasite

Synonyms
3.

erase with a sponge; as of words on a blackboard

4.

soak up with a sponge

5.

gather sponges, in the ocean

noun

1.

a porous mass of interlacing fibers the 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”
Synonyms
3.

a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage

Synonyms
4.

Origin

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”).

Phrases

  • African net sponge
  • barrel sponge
  • breadcrumb sponge
  • bullet sponge
  • calcareous sponge
  • chewing sponge
  • chuck up the sponge
  • contraceptive sponge
  • sponge up

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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Parts

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.