spongeˈwood noun

Sola, an Indian plant also known as the hat plant

sponˈging-house or spunˈging-house noun (obsolete)

A bailiff's lodging-house for debtors in his custody before their committal to prison

spongy parenchyma noun (botany)

A loose tissue in leaves with much intercellular space

spongy platinum or platinum sponge noun

Platinum in a finely divided state

set a sponge

To leaven a small mass of dough for use in leavening a large quantity

sponge down

To clean or wipe with a sponge (spongeˈ-down noun)

throw up (or in) the sponge

1. To acknowledge defeat by throwing into the air the sponge with which a boxer is rubbed down between rounds (cf throw in the towel)
2. To give up any struggle

hat /hat/

noun

1. Any covering for the head, esp one with a crown and brim
2. The office of cardinal, from the red hat formerly worn
3. A salutation by lifting the hat (Scot or obsolete)

transitive verb (hatt'ing; hattˈed)

1. To provide with or cover with a hat
2. To lift one's hat to (archaic)

intransitive verb (Aust)

To work alone

hatˈful noun (pl hatfuls)

As much as will fill a hat

hatˈless adjective

hatˈlessness noun

hattˈed adjective

Provided or covered with a hat

hattˈer noun

1. A maker or seller of hats
2. A miner or other who works by himself, one whose ‘hat covers his family’ (Aust)

hattˈing noun

hattˈock noun (archaic Scot)

A little hat

hatˈband noun

A ribbon round a hat

hatˈbox noun

hatˈbrush noun

hatˈguard noun

A string for keeping a hat from being blown away

hatˈpeg noun

A peg on which to hang a hat

hatˈpin noun

A long pin for fastening a hat to the hair

hatˈ-plant noun

The sola plant, used for making topees

hatˈrack noun

A set of hatpegs

hatˈstand noun

A piece of furniture with hatpegs

hat tip noun (informal)

An acknowledgement of respect

hat trick noun

1. A conjurer's trick with a hat
2. (in cricket) the taking of three wickets with consecutive balls (orig considered as deserving a new hat)
3. A corresponding feat (such as three goals scored by the same player) in other games
4. Three successes in any activity

a bad hat (informal)

A rascal, an unscrupulous person

hang up one's hat see hang

hats off to

(give) all honour to

horse and hattock

To horse (traditionally a signal of witches or fairies)

mad as a hatter

Completely mad (poss from the odd behaviour of some hatters due to mental and physical disorders caused by the mercury in the chemicals used in the making of felt hats)

my hat!

An exclamation of surprise or disbelief

pass or send round the hat

To take up a collection, solicit contributions

take off one's hat to

1. To acknowledge in admiration (figurative)
2. To praise

talk through one's hat

To talk wildly or nonsensically

throw one's hat into the ring see under ring¹

under one's hat

In confidence

wear several hats, another hat, etc

To act in several capacities, another capacity, etc

sola² or solah /sōˈlə/

noun

1. Spongewood, an Indian papilionaceous plant (Aeschynomene aspera or indica; also known as the hat-plant)
2. Its pithlike stems used in making lightweight hats

adjective

Made of sola

sola hat, sola helmet, sola topee or sola topi noun

A sun helmet made of sola pith (also, incorrectly, solar)