Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sponge
Sponge
(spŭnj)
, Noun.
[Formerly written also
spunge
.] 1.
(Zool.)
Any one of numerous species of Spongiae, or Porifera. See Illust. and Note under
Spongiae
. 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. 3.
Fig.:
One who lives upon others; a pertinacious 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 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.Sponge
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sponged
(spŭnjd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sponging
(spŭn′jĭng)
.] 1.
To cleanse or wipe with a sponge;
as, to
; to wet with a sponge; sponge
a slate or a cannonas, to
. sponge
cloth2.
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 breakfastSwift.
Sponge
,Verb.
I.
1.
To suck in, or imbibe, as a sponge.
2.
Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on;
as, an idler
. sponges
on his neighborE. 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.