| 释义 |
Definition of sponge in English: spongenounPlural sponges spʌn(d)ʒspəndʒ 1A primitive sedentary aquatic invertebrate with a soft porous body that is typically supported by a framework of fibres or calcareous or glassy spicules. Sponges draw in a current of water to extract nutrients and oxygen. Phylum Porifera: several classes Example sentencesExamples - Other images are just as mystifying the spine of a sea urchin, sharks' teeth, sponges and ascidians, to name a few.
- Chinese scholar's rocks, coral and sponges come to mind.
2A piece of a soft, light, porous absorbent substance originally consisting of the fibrous skeleton of an aquatic invertebrate but now usually made of synthetic material, used for washing and cleaning. Example sentencesExamples - Worryingly, more than one in ten only rinse the cloth or sponge, which doesn't kill any harboured bacteria and could in fact spread the invisible germs around kitchen surfaces.
- Of those that use a dishcloth or sponge, a third disinfect, boil or bleach it to keep it clean - the most effective methods.
- Put newspaper on the floor, find a big bib, and stand by with sponges.
- Then we would mist the back with water and rub it down with a sponge so when it dried it would shrink tightly.
- However, passive organic matter acts much like a sponge, holding a lot of water.
- These people just don't sip, they imbibe, they absorb liquor like dehydrated sponges, letting the story-soothing booze flow through their veins until it seeps from their pores in the squalid stench of defeat.
- When it is done as well as this, it leaves one feeling like a well wrung sponge.
- We were like sponges; we absorbed knowledge eagerly after the ten-year void.
- This increases insulation and avoids the need for surface treatment, while the vegetation absorbs rain like a sponge, reducing or at least delaying run-off.
- Be a sponge - absorb as much inspiration as you can from watching other artists perform.
- They fetch a sponge and smelling salts, and go upstairs to the room where Grace Poole usually stays.
- Physical debris was removed from needles as necessary using sponges soaked with disinfectant.
- The energy was incredible; the dancers were like sponges, soaking everything up.
- Once worms are added to the bedding, the moisture level should remain approximately that of a wrung-out sponge.
- I was busting out a super funky tear, and Daron wiped it off of my chin with one of those really absorbent Easter sponges shaped like a pink little chicken baby.
- 2.1in singular An act of wiping or cleaning with a sponge.
they gave him a quick sponge down Synonyms clean, wipe, sponge, mop, swab, flush, scrub, hose-down, swill, lather, soap - 2.2mass noun A soft, light, porous substance used as padding or insulating material.
the headguard is padded with sponge Example sentencesExamples - In the most recent sculptures, Starr has worked with thinner slices of sponge, laid on the floor like mats or stacked like towels, all oozing floods of paint.
- However, Dubuffet soon extended the meaning of the word ‘assemblage’ to cover small sculptures he made from such materials as sponge and scraps of wood.
- 2.3 A barrier contraceptive in the form of a piece of soft, light, porous material impregnated with spermicide and inserted into a woman's vagina.
- 2.4mass noun, with modifier Metal in a porous form, typically prepared by reduction without fusion or by electrolysis.
3British A light cake made by beating eggs with sugar, flour, and usually butter or other fat. mass noun the gateau is made with moist sponge Example sentencesExamples - Sometimes a different fruit is used and some cooks may substitute sponge cake for shortcake; but no alternative version can match the excellence of the original.
- Sitting on the grass, sipping tea and eating lovely ham sandwiches, followed by fresh cream homemade sponge cakes, we thought that life couldn't get much better than this!
- Baking is a passion of mine so I bake all sorts of sponge cakes and Christmas cakes for my friends.
- ‘How long does it take to go to Boston from Philadelphia,’ I asked, starting to stir some of the sponge cake for Christmas dinner.
- It's like baking a sponge cake at too high a heat, and it gets soggy and deflates, and the only person who's willing to eat it is your dog.
- I sit on my grandmother's knee eating sponge cake warm from the oven.
- For breakfast prisoners are offered coffee or hot chocolate, along with bread and butter, biscuits and small sponge cakes.
- Victoria sponge cakes and female submission do not a happy home make.
- Most major food shops sell really buttery plain sponge cakes.
- Then, she put in two puddings, and two spoons along with two pieces of chocolate sponge cake and called it good.
- Arrowroot, a major cash crop, is used in desserts, including arrowroot sponge cake and arrowroot custard.
- The problem is that when I first put the sponge cakes together to look like a train, it worked really well.
- She made tea and offered him home-made sponge cake that was so light it was in danger of drifting off the plate in the cool breeze from the open window.
- If one more person tells us we did a beautiful job of the eulogy, I will explode with pride and there will be little fluttery bits of pride all over sponge cakes and tomato sandwiches.
- Christenings increasingly call for finger food, light bright sponge cakes and pavlovas, rather than a sit-down feast.
- We learn of the medicinal importance of poultry and of the ritual significance of sponge cake and sweetmeats.
- Eat hot with warm sponge cake or madeleines or eat thoroughly chilled aside a little mound of equal quantities of thick yoghurt and whipped cream.
- With the exception of plain, wholesome sponge cakes, instead of comforting, the scent of some cakes can be quite maddening.
- I hid sharp unease behind the cream sponge and sugar tongs.
- It's a weekday morning and the elderly patrons are hard at work on dim sum and sponge cake.
- 3.1
short for sponge pudding Example sentencesExamples - Mrs Warburton was suddenly coming towards her, holding a large slice of cream sponge on a plate.
4informal A person who lives at someone else's expense. Synonyms parasite, hanger-on, leech, scrounger, passenger, drone, beggar 5informal A heavy drinker. Synonyms drinker, serious drinker, hard drinker, problem drinker, alcoholic
verbsponged, sponges, sponging, spongeing spʌn(d)ʒspəndʒ 1with object Wipe or clean with a wet sponge or cloth. she sponged him down in an attempt to cool his fever Example sentencesExamples - They brought the incubator in and as soon as Ty cut her umbilical cord, and they sponged her off a bit, then took her away.
- Joe wiggled and cooed happily as his mother dipped a cloth in water and sponged him off, dried and powdered him, and showed Hoss how to fold and apply a fresh diaper.
- I was standing in the school bathrooms, sponging my eye.
- I wet the cloth and sponged his forehead with it, and his moaning ceased.
- She gently sponged Priss’ back, watching the muscles flex against her movement.
- Then she pulled the soiled blankets from beneath him, before sponging him down as she had the previous evening and wrapping him in a fresh set of sheets.
- Once he had been sponged and dressed by silent attendants, Hakida had lead him to a carriage and ushered him inside, then on the bumpy ride to the Vistula Temple beneath black clouds informed him of what he was to do.
- They undressed her and sponged her with warm water; the baths were out of order.
- She looked down and reluctantly sponged off her hands.
- She sponged herself with the rag that accompanied her water-jug.
- She sponged at my forehead with the corner of her apron.
- Her other hand sponged his face with a cool, wet cloth.
Synonyms wash, clean, wipe, swab mop, rinse, sluice, swill - 1.1 Remove or wipe away (liquid or a mark) with a sponge or cloth.
I'll go and sponge this orange juice off my dress Example sentencesExamples - She dressed the lesser injuries, sponging the blood away and applying salve.
- The paint came off quite easily to her relief, but it stained her hands as she carefully sponged it off.
- And then she came out, sponged it up as best she could, sighed, looked at the clock, and then back at the remaining stain.
- They walked back down stairs and Nicole sponged up the water that had spilt everywhere.
- Gently she sponged the sweat from his brow, half hoping the coolness might revive him.
- After fighting a losing battle with a yawn, I got up and began sponging coffee from the carpet, wondering how I would talk to Jill again after the last moment we'd spent together.
- She bent over Milo, sponging some of the warm painkiller from a bucket next to the bed.
- They spent all day sponging blood and ink from the floor, sorting letters into their boxes, sweeping.
- It was like I squeezed out all the water I had sponged up.
Synonyms remove by washing, sponge off, scrub off, wipe off, rinse off, remove, flush away, flush out, expunge, eradicate - 1.2 Give a decorative effect to (a painted surface) by applying a different shade of paint with a sponge.
she repainted the walls white, then sponged them in turquoise, green, and lilac - 1.3 Decorate (pottery) using a sponge.
2informal no object Obtain or accept money or food from other people without doing or intending to do anything in return. they found they could earn a perfectly good living by sponging off others Example sentencesExamples - It was designed to prevent people sponging on the system (becoming ‘pauperised’) but it also stigmatised and humiliated those who applied for relief.
- The older women are in essence sponging off the daughter, a secretary, who is marrying mainly to escape their clutches.
- He lives with and sponges off his brother and sister-in-law, surviving on free samples at the supermarket, and gambling away what little money he has.
- Maggie is quite horrifyingly selfish and happy to sponge off Ella while she susses out the situation.
- Two are notable-a witty fop, who lives nearby, and a down-at-the-heels aristocrat, who has been sponging off the family for decades.
- I'm at a point now where I think I can afford an apartment, and I figure I should stop sponging off my parents and get out into a new place.
- There Jackson became a cowardly deserter sponging off the martial generosity of Uncle Sam, a man who betrayed his comrades and never paid his gambling debts.
- Although, I did not feel comfortable sponging off of their generosity, so I did not get much.
- It comes from taxes paid by plumbers, carpenters, bricklayers, electricians, plasterers and everyone else who goes out into the world and creates wealth, earns an honest living instead of spongeing off the state.
- I know you've spent the last few weeks sponging off Ellie.
- It was then that he realized she was sponging off his meager salary.
Synonyms scrounge off/from, live off, be a parasite on, impose on, beg from, borrow from, be dependent on informal freeload on, cadge from, bum off North American informal mooch off Australian/New Zealand bludge on - 2.1with object Obtain (money or food) from someone without doing anything in return.
he edged closer, clearly intending to sponge money from her
Derivatives adjective All papers are spongeable and have a moderate light fastness. Example sentencesExamples - No one likes having to be sensible, but you really have to be in this type of room, so sofa covers should ideally be removable, rugs washable or at least spongeable, and flooring super tough.
- Today, kitchen wallcoverings are as beautiful and subtle as traditional wallpapers for other rooms, but they're not just spongeable, they're scrubbable.
- The PVC based cloth is spongeable making it easy to maintain.
- A matt varnish seals in the colour, making the paper spongeable, and a secret printing technique gives a sharp, clear pattern with a linen embossed finish.
adjective Brain tissues of infected animals have a sponge-like appearance when examined under a microscope. Example sentencesExamples - Do you have a washcloth I could use, instead of this purple sponge-like thing?
- Enthusiasm is crucial, as is respect, politeness and the sponge-like ability to absorb knowledge.
- Those soggy, sponge-like blobs were enough to kill anyone's desire to go meatless.
- Then plant a giant green sponge-like hedge between you and the noise.
Origin Old English (in sense 2 of the noun), via Latin from Greek spongia, later form of spongos, reinforced in Middle English by Old French esponge. Rhymes blunge, expunge, grunge, gunge, lunge, plunge, scunge Definition of sponge in US English: spongenounspəndʒspənj 1A primitive sedentary aquatic invertebrate with a soft porous body that is typically supported by a framework of fibers or calcareous or glassy spicules. Sponges draw in a current of water to extract nutrients and oxygen. Phylum Porifera: several classes Example sentencesExamples - Chinese scholar's rocks, coral and sponges come to mind.
- Other images are just as mystifying the spine of a sea urchin, sharks' teeth, sponges and ascidians, to name a few.
2A piece of a soft, light, porous substance originally consisting of the fibrous skeleton of an invertebrate but now usually made of synthetic material. Sponges absorb liquid and are used for washing and cleaning. Example sentencesExamples - Be a sponge - absorb as much inspiration as you can from watching other artists perform.
- These people just don't sip, they imbibe, they absorb liquor like dehydrated sponges, letting the story-soothing booze flow through their veins until it seeps from their pores in the squalid stench of defeat.
- We were like sponges; we absorbed knowledge eagerly after the ten-year void.
- Then we would mist the back with water and rub it down with a sponge so when it dried it would shrink tightly.
- This increases insulation and avoids the need for surface treatment, while the vegetation absorbs rain like a sponge, reducing or at least delaying run-off.
- The energy was incredible; the dancers were like sponges, soaking everything up.
- Of those that use a dishcloth or sponge, a third disinfect, boil or bleach it to keep it clean - the most effective methods.
- I was busting out a super funky tear, and Daron wiped it off of my chin with one of those really absorbent Easter sponges shaped like a pink little chicken baby.
- When it is done as well as this, it leaves one feeling like a well wrung sponge.
- Worryingly, more than one in ten only rinse the cloth or sponge, which doesn't kill any harboured bacteria and could in fact spread the invisible germs around kitchen surfaces.
- Put newspaper on the floor, find a big bib, and stand by with sponges.
- They fetch a sponge and smelling salts, and go upstairs to the room where Grace Poole usually stays.
- Physical debris was removed from needles as necessary using sponges soaked with disinfectant.
- Once worms are added to the bedding, the moisture level should remain approximately that of a wrung-out sponge.
- However, passive organic matter acts much like a sponge, holding a lot of water.
- 2.1in singular An act of wiping or cleaning with a sponge.
they gave him a quick sponge down Synonyms clean, wipe, sponge, mop, swab, flush, scrub, hose-down, swill, lather, soap - 2.2 Sponge used as padding or insulating material.
the headguard is padded with sponge Example sentencesExamples - However, Dubuffet soon extended the meaning of the word ‘assemblage’ to cover small sculptures he made from such materials as sponge and scraps of wood.
- In the most recent sculptures, Starr has worked with thinner slices of sponge, laid on the floor like mats or stacked like towels, all oozing floods of paint.
- 2.3 A piece of sponge impregnated with spermicide and inserted into a woman's vagina as a form of barrier contraceptive.
- 2.4with modifier Metal in a porous form, typically prepared by reduction without fusion or by electrolysis.
3British short for sponge cake Example sentencesExamples - For breakfast prisoners are offered coffee or hot chocolate, along with bread and butter, biscuits and small sponge cakes.
- Most major food shops sell really buttery plain sponge cakes.
- ‘How long does it take to go to Boston from Philadelphia,’ I asked, starting to stir some of the sponge cake for Christmas dinner.
- Sometimes a different fruit is used and some cooks may substitute sponge cake for shortcake; but no alternative version can match the excellence of the original.
- I sit on my grandmother's knee eating sponge cake warm from the oven.
- The problem is that when I first put the sponge cakes together to look like a train, it worked really well.
- Christenings increasingly call for finger food, light bright sponge cakes and pavlovas, rather than a sit-down feast.
- It's a weekday morning and the elderly patrons are hard at work on dim sum and sponge cake.
- Sitting on the grass, sipping tea and eating lovely ham sandwiches, followed by fresh cream homemade sponge cakes, we thought that life couldn't get much better than this!
- With the exception of plain, wholesome sponge cakes, instead of comforting, the scent of some cakes can be quite maddening.
- Victoria sponge cakes and female submission do not a happy home make.
- It's like baking a sponge cake at too high a heat, and it gets soggy and deflates, and the only person who's willing to eat it is your dog.
- Arrowroot, a major cash crop, is used in desserts, including arrowroot sponge cake and arrowroot custard.
- Then, she put in two puddings, and two spoons along with two pieces of chocolate sponge cake and called it good.
- We learn of the medicinal importance of poultry and of the ritual significance of sponge cake and sweetmeats.
- I hid sharp unease behind the cream sponge and sugar tongs.
- Baking is a passion of mine so I bake all sorts of sponge cakes and Christmas cakes for my friends.
- She made tea and offered him home-made sponge cake that was so light it was in danger of drifting off the plate in the cool breeze from the open window.
- Eat hot with warm sponge cake or madeleines or eat thoroughly chilled aside a little mound of equal quantities of thick yoghurt and whipped cream.
- If one more person tells us we did a beautiful job of the eulogy, I will explode with pride and there will be little fluttery bits of pride all over sponge cakes and tomato sandwiches.
- 3.1 A steamed or baked pudding of fat, flour, and eggs.
Example sentencesExamples - Mrs Warburton was suddenly coming towards her, holding a large slice of cream sponge on a plate.
4informal A person who lives at someone else's expense. Synonyms parasite, hanger-on, leech, scrounger, passenger, drone, beggar 5informal A heavy drinker. Synonyms drinker, serious drinker, hard drinker, problem drinker, alcoholic
verbspəndʒspənj 1with object Wipe, rub, or clean with a wet sponge or cloth. she sponged him down in an attempt to cool his fever Example sentencesExamples - Her other hand sponged his face with a cool, wet cloth.
- She looked down and reluctantly sponged off her hands.
- They brought the incubator in and as soon as Ty cut her umbilical cord, and they sponged her off a bit, then took her away.
- She gently sponged Priss’ back, watching the muscles flex against her movement.
- She sponged herself with the rag that accompanied her water-jug.
- She sponged at my forehead with the corner of her apron.
- Once he had been sponged and dressed by silent attendants, Hakida had lead him to a carriage and ushered him inside, then on the bumpy ride to the Vistula Temple beneath black clouds informed him of what he was to do.
- Then she pulled the soiled blankets from beneath him, before sponging him down as she had the previous evening and wrapping him in a fresh set of sheets.
- I was standing in the school bathrooms, sponging my eye.
- They undressed her and sponged her with warm water; the baths were out of order.
- Joe wiggled and cooed happily as his mother dipped a cloth in water and sponged him off, dried and powdered him, and showed Hoss how to fold and apply a fresh diaper.
- I wet the cloth and sponged his forehead with it, and his moaning ceased.
- 1.1 Remove or wipe away (liquid or a mark) with a wet sponge or cloth.
I'll go and sponge this orange juice off my dress Example sentencesExamples - Gently she sponged the sweat from his brow, half hoping the coolness might revive him.
- The paint came off quite easily to her relief, but it stained her hands as she carefully sponged it off.
- After fighting a losing battle with a yawn, I got up and began sponging coffee from the carpet, wondering how I would talk to Jill again after the last moment we'd spent together.
- They spent all day sponging blood and ink from the floor, sorting letters into their boxes, sweeping.
- She bent over Milo, sponging some of the warm painkiller from a bucket next to the bed.
- It was like I squeezed out all the water I had sponged up.
- And then she came out, sponged it up as best she could, sighed, looked at the clock, and then back at the remaining stain.
- They walked back down stairs and Nicole sponged up the water that had spilt everywhere.
- She dressed the lesser injuries, sponging the blood away and applying salve.
Synonyms remove by washing, sponge off, scrub off, wipe off, rinse off, remove, flush away, flush out, expunge, eradicate - 1.2 Give a decorative mottled or textured effect to (a painted wall or surface) by applying a different shade of paint with a sponge.
2informal no object Obtain or accept money or food from other people without doing or intending to do anything in return. they found they could earn a perfectly good living by sponging off others Example sentencesExamples - It was designed to prevent people sponging on the system (becoming ‘pauperised’) but it also stigmatised and humiliated those who applied for relief.
- There Jackson became a cowardly deserter sponging off the martial generosity of Uncle Sam, a man who betrayed his comrades and never paid his gambling debts.
- I'm at a point now where I think I can afford an apartment, and I figure I should stop sponging off my parents and get out into a new place.
- Maggie is quite horrifyingly selfish and happy to sponge off Ella while she susses out the situation.
- The older women are in essence sponging off the daughter, a secretary, who is marrying mainly to escape their clutches.
- It was then that he realized she was sponging off his meager salary.
- I know you've spent the last few weeks sponging off Ellie.
- Although, I did not feel comfortable sponging off of their generosity, so I did not get much.
- He lives with and sponges off his brother and sister-in-law, surviving on free samples at the supermarket, and gambling away what little money he has.
- It comes from taxes paid by plumbers, carpenters, bricklayers, electricians, plasterers and everyone else who goes out into the world and creates wealth, earns an honest living instead of spongeing off the state.
- Two are notable-a witty fop, who lives nearby, and a down-at-the-heels aristocrat, who has been sponging off the family for decades.
Synonyms scrounge from, scrounge off, live off, be a parasite on, impose on, beg from, borrow from, be dependent on - 2.1with object Obtain (something) without doing anything in return for it.
he edged closer, clearly intending to sponge money from her
Origin Old English (in sponge (sense 2 of the noun)), via Latin from Greek spongia, later form of spongos, reinforced in Middle English by Old French esponge. |