1. 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.
2. the light, fibrous, flexible, absorbent skeleton of certain of these organisms, used for bathing, cleaning, and other purposes.
3. porous plastics, rubber, cellulose, or other material, similar in absorbency to this skeleton and used for the same purposes.
4. metal in a porous, brittle form, as after the removal of other metals in processing, used as a raw material in manufacturing.
5. A gauze pad used to absorb blood and other fluids, as in surgery or the dressing of a wound.
6. A small absorbent contraceptive pad that contains a spermicide and is placed against the cervix of the uterus before sexual intercourse.
7. dough that has been or is being leavened.
8. A light cake, such as sponge cake.
9. A sponge bath.
10. one who habitually depends on others for one's own maintenance.
11. informal A glutton.
12. slang A drunkard.
13. to moisten, wipe, or clean with or as if with a sponge: sponge off the table.
14. to wipe out; erase.
15. to absorb with or as if with a sponge: sponge up the mess.
16. informal to obtain free: sponge a meal.
17. to fish for sponges.
18. informal to live by relying on the generosity of others: sponged off her parents.

1. any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.
2. A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).
3. A porous material such as sponges consist of.
4. A heavy drinker.
5. A type of light cake; sponge cake.
6. A type of steamed pudding.
7. A person who takes advantage of the generosity of others (abstractly imagined to absorb or soak up the money or efforts of others like a sponge).
8. A form of contraception that is inserted vaginally; a contraceptive sponge.
9. to take advantage of the kindness of others.
10. to clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.
11. to suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.
12. to be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven.

1. any one of numerous species of Spongiæ, or Porifera. see Illust. and note under spongiæ.
2. the elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny Spongiæ (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. one who lives upon others; a pertinacious and indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger.
4. any spongelike substance.
5. 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.
6. iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.
7. iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.
8. 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.
9. the extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel.
10. to suck in, or imbibe, as a sponge.
11. fig.: to gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on.
12. to be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast, or leaven.
13. to cleanse or wipe with a sponge; ; to wet with a sponge.
14. to wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.
15. fig.: to deprive of something by imposition.
16. fig.: to get by imposition or mean arts without cost.

1. to cleanse or wipe with a sponge: as, to sponge the body; to sponge a slate or a cannon.
2. to wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; efface; remove with a sponge; destroy all traces of: with out, off, etc.
3. specifically to dampen, as in cloth-manufacturing.
4. to absorb; use a sponge, or act like a sponge, in absorbing: generally with up: as, to sponge up water that has been spilled.
5. to gain by sycophantic or mean arts.
6. to drain; harass by extortion; squeeze; plunder.
7. in baking, to set a sponge for: as, to sponge bread.
8. to gather sponges where they grow; dive or dredge for sponges.
9. to live meanly at the expense of others; obtain money or other aid in a mean way: with on.
10. A fixed aquatic organism of a low order, various in form and texture, composed of an aggregate of amœbiform bodies disposed about a common cavity provided with one or more inhalent and exhalent orifices (ostioles and oscules), through which water pours in and out.
11. the fibrous framework of a colony of sponge-animalcules, from which the animalcules themselves have been washed out, and from which the gritty or sandy parts of the colony, if there were any, have been taken away. see skeleton, 1 .
12. any sponge-like substance.
13. A tool for cleaning a cannon after its discharge.
14. figuratively, one who or that which absorbs without discrimination, and as readily gives up, when subjected to pressure, that which has been absorbed.
15. one who persistently lives upon others; a sycophantic or cringing dependent; a hanger-on for the sake of maintenance; a parasite.
16. in the manège, the extremity or point of a horseshoe answering to the heel.
17. the coral, or mass of eggs, under the abdomen of a crab.
18. any absorbent material employed to take up the blood and other fluids in surgical operations.

1. primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies
2. a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
3. soak up with a sponge
4. someone able to acquire new knowledge and skills rapidly and easily
5. ask for and get free; be a parasite
6. erase with a sponge; as of words on a blackboard
7. wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten
8. gather sponges, in the ocean
9. 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