1
- a 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海绵（原始水生无脊椎动物）。
1.1
- Phylum Porifera: several classes.海绵动物门：数纲。
2
- a piece of a soft, light, porous substance originally consisting of the fibrous skeleton of such an invertebrate but now usually made of synthetic material. Sponges absorb liquid and are used for washing and cleaning（洗涤和清洁用的）人造海绵; 海绵。
2.1
- in sing. an act of wiping or cleaning with a sponge用海绵擦拭（或清洁）：
they gave him a quick sponge down.
他们用海绵把他迅速地擦洗了一遍。
2.2
- mass noun such a substance used as padding or insulating material海绵填料; 海绵绝缘物质：
the headguard is padded with sponge.
头盔里有海绵护垫。
2.3
- a piece of such a substance impregnated with spermicide and inserted into a woman's vagina as a form of barrier contraceptive（浸满杀精子剂的）海绵避孕栓。
2.4
- informal a heavy drinker〈非正式〉大量饮酒的人。
2.5
- mass noun with modifier metal in a porous form, typically prepared by reduction without fusion or by electrolysis金属绵, 海绵金属：
platinum sponge.
铂绵。
3
- （亦作sponge cake）a very light cake made with eggs, sugar, and flour but little or no fat海绵状蛋糕, 无脂（或低脂）松蛋糕：
a chocolate sponge
巧克力海绵蛋糕
mass noun the gateau is made with moist sponge.那大蛋糕是由湿软的海绵蛋糕做成的。
3.1
- short for SPONGE PUDDING.SPONGE PUDDING的简称。
4
- informal a person who lives at someone else's expense〈非正式〉依赖他人生活的人。
(sponging 或 spongeing)
1
- with obj. wipe, rub, or clean with a wet sponge or cloth用湿海绵（或湿布）揩, 擦, 把…弄干净：
she sponged him down in an attempt to cool his fever.
她用湿海绵替他擦身, 想为他降体温。
1.1
- remove or wipe away (liquid or a mark) in such a way用海绵擦掉（液体, 斑点）：
I'll go and sponge this orange juice off my dress.
我去拿海绵把衣服上的橙汁擦掉。
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（在油漆过的墙或其他表面上）用海绵涂上不同色度的油漆（以产生斑驳或凹凸不平的装饰效果）。
2
- no obj. informal obtain or accept money or food from other people without doing or intending to do anything in return〈非正式〉白吃白拿：
they found they could earn a perfectly good living by sponging off others.
他们发现靠白吃白拿日子还能过得挺不错呢。
2.1
- with obj. obtain (something) in such a way白拿：
he edged closer, clearly intending to sponge money from her.
他慢慢向前靠近, 显然是想向她要钱。
派生词
spongeable
adjectivesponge-like
adjective词源
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.