SPONGE Word Analysis

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

(countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).

(uncountable) The porous material that synthetic washing sponges are made of.

(informal) A heavy drinker.

(countable, uncountable) A type of light cake.

(countable, uncountable, British) A type of steamed pudding.

(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).

A person who readily absorbs ideas.

(countable) A form of contraception that is inserted vaginally; a contraceptive sponge.

Any sponge-like substance.

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.

The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, corresponding to the heel.

(slang) A nuclear power plant worker routinely exposed to radiation.

(intransitive, slang) To take advantage of the kindness of others.

(transitive, intransitive with on or upon) To get by imposition; to scrounge.

(transitive) To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.

To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.

To suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.

To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.

(intransitive, baking) To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven.

(marine biology, of dolphins) To use a piece of wild sponge as a tool when foraging for food.