Sponge

Quick meaning: Sponge is a noun meaning (countable) Any of various marine invertebrates of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.

Meaning

(countable) Any of various marine invertebrates of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.

More Meanings

1. (countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).
2. (uncountable) The porous material that synthetic washing sponges are made of.
3. (informal) A heavy drinker.
4. (countable, uncountable) A type of light cake.
5. (countable, uncountable, British) A type of steamed pudding.
6. A person who readily absorbs ideas.
7. (slang) 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).

Example Sentences

to sponge a breakfast

You can’t go on spunging upon the women.

He has been sponging off his friends for a month now.

The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that spunges upon other Peoples Trenchers.

Word Forms

• sponges
• sponging
• sponged

Synonyms for sponge

Depending on context, synonyms include poriferan, porifer, souse, swill-pot, alco, alcoholic.

Antonyms for sponge

Common opposites include felicitous.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include poriferan, parazoan, leech, grub, cadge, mooch.

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