sponge

sponge
{{11}}sponge (n.) 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.
{{12}}sponge (v.) late 14c., "to soak up with a sponge," from SPONGE (Cf. sponge) (n.). The slang sense of "to live in a parasitic manner" is attested from 1670s; sponger (n.) in this sense is from 1670s. Originally it was the victim who was known as the sponge (c.1600), since he or she was being "squeezed."

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Sponge — (sp[u^]nj), n. [OF. esponge, F. [ e]ponge, L. spongia, Gr. spoggia , spo ggos. 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]} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sponge — [spunj] n. [ME < OE < L spongia < Gr spongia, spongos] 1. any of a phylum (Porifera) of simple, aquatic, sessile animals having a porous structure and a tough, often siliceous or calcareous, skeleton 2. the elastic skeleton, or a piece… …   English World dictionary

  • Sponge — Sponge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sponged} (sp[u^]njd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Sponging} (sp[u^]n j[i^]ng).] 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. [1913 Webster] 2. To wipe out… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sponge — ► NOUN 1) an aquatic invertebrate with a soft porous body. 2) a piece of a light, absorbent substance originally consisting of the fibrous skeleton of a sponge but now usually made of synthetic material, used for washing, as padding, etc. 3) a… …   English terms dictionary

  • Sponge — Sponge, v. i. 1. To suck in, or imbibe, as a sponge. [1913 Webster] 2. Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on; as, an idler sponges on his neighbor. E. Eggleston. [1913 Webster] The fly is an intruder, and a common smell feast,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sponge — Pays d’origine Detroit, Michigan, États Unis Genre musical Post grunge Années d activité 1991–aujourd hui Labels Sony, Beyond, Idol Site officiel …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sponge\ on — • sponge on • sponge off v. phr. To exploit parasitically; depend upon for support. He is already forty years old, but he refuses to go to work and sponges off his retired parents …   Словарь американских идиом

  • sponge — [n] moocher bum*, cadger, deadbeat*, freeloader*, hanger on, leech*, panhandler, parasite, scrounger; concepts 412,423 sponge [v] mooch beg, bum*, cadge, chisel*, freeload*, hit up*, hustle, live off of, panhandle, scrounge; concept 53 …   New thesaurus

  • Sponge — Sponge. См. губка. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • sponge — index parasite Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sponge — sponge, sponger *parasite, sycophant, favorite, toady, lickspittle, bootlicker, hanger on, leech …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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