» sponge
Noun (4 meanings)
1. 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.
sponge is a type of:
- absorbent material, absorbent (noun) - a material having capacity or tendency to absorb another substance
sponge is derivationally related to:
- to sponge (verb) - gather sponges, in the ocean
- to sponge (verb) - wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten
- to sponge (verb) - soak up with a sponge
- to sponge (verb) - erase with a sponge
- spongy, spongelike (adjective) - like a sponge in being able to absorb liquids and yield it back when compressed
2. someone able to acquire new knowledge and skills rapidly and easily.
Example:
- “she soaks up foreign languages like a sponge”
sponge is a type of:
- learner, scholar, assimilator (noun) - someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs
3. a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage.
sponge is a type of:
- follower (noun) - a person who accepts the leadership of another
sponge is derivationally related to:
- to mooch, bum, cadge, grub, sponge (verb) - ask for and get free
- parasitic, parasitical, leechlike, bloodsucking (adjective) - of plants or persons
4. primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies.
sponge is a type of:
- invertebrate (noun) - any animal lacking a backbone or notochord
types of sponge:
- glass sponge (noun) - a siliceous sponge (with glassy spicules) of the class Hyalospongiae
sponge is a member of:
- Porifera, phylum Porifera (noun) - coextensive with the subkingdom Parazoa: sponges
sponge is derivationally related to:
- to sponge (verb) - gather sponges, in the ocean
- spongy, squashy, squishy, spongelike (adjective) - easily squashed
Verb (5 meanings)
1. wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten.
to sponge
to sponge is a way to:
to sponge is derivationally related to:
- sponge (noun) - 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
to sponge is a way to:
- to obtain (verb) - come into possession of
ways to sponge:
- to freeload (verb) - live off somebody's generosity
to sponge is derivationally related to:
- idler, loafer, do-nothing, layabout, bum (noun) - person who does no work
- leech, parasite, sponge, sponger (noun) - a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
- moocher, mooch, cadger, scrounger (noun) - someone who mooches or cadges (tries to get something free)
3. erase with a sponge; as of words on a blackboard.
to sponge
to sponge is a way to:
to sponge is derivationally related to:
- sponge (noun) - 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
4. soak up with a sponge.
to sponge
to sponge is a way to:
to sponge is derivationally related to:
- sponge (noun) - 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
5. gather sponges, in the ocean.
to sponge
to sponge is a way to:
- to gather, garner, collect, pull together (verb) - assemble or get together
to sponge is derivationally related to:
- sponge, poriferan, parazoan (noun) - primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework
- sponge (noun) - 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
- sponger (noun) - a workman employed to collect sponges