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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Sponge \Sponge\ (sp[u^]nj), n. [OF. esponge, F. ['e]ponge, L.
spongia, Gr. spoggia`, spo`ggos. Cf. {Fungus}, {Spunk}.]
[Formerly written also {spunge}.]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of Spongiae, or
Porifera. See Illust. and Note under {Spongiae}.
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2. 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.
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3. Fig.: One who lives upon others; a pertinacious and
indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger.
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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.
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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.
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6. (Far.) The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering
to the heel.
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{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 tubulifera), 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 {Spongia 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; -- now,
{throw in the towel} is more common, and has the same
origin and meaning. [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.
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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.
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2. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to
efface; to destroy all trace of. --Hooker.
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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.
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4. Fig.: To get by imposition or mean arts without cost; as,
to sponge a breakfast. --Swift.
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Sponge \Sponge\, v. i.
1. To suck in, or imbibe, as a sponge.
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2. Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on;
as, an idler sponges on his neighbor. --E. Eggleston.
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The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast,
that sponges upon other people's trenchers.
--L'Estrange.
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3. To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by
the agency of yeast, or leaven.
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