From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishspongesponge1 /spʌndʒ/ ●●○ noun 1 
[countable, uncountable]DWASH a piece of a soft natural or artificial substance full of small holes, which can suck up liquid and is used for washing2 [countable]HBA a simple sea creature from which natural sponge is produced3 [singular] British EnglishWASH an act of washing something with a sponge4 [countable, uncountable] British EnglishDF a light cake made from flour, sugar, butter, and eggs a Victoria sponge5 [countable]ASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something a sponger
[countable, uncountable]DWASH a piece of a soft natural or artificial substance full of small holes, which can suck up liquid and is used for washing2 [countable]HBA a simple sea creature from which natural sponge is produced3 [singular] British EnglishWASH an act of washing something with a sponge4 [countable, uncountable] British EnglishDF a light cake made from flour, sugar, butter, and eggs a Victoria sponge5 [countable]ASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something a spongerExamples from the Corpus
sponge• I felt like a sponge full of unshed tears.• She picked up a sponge and began cleaning the edges of the sink.• Use a sponge to clean up the excess water.• They leave reality to the grunts, who face bullets from AK-47s, not flying sponges.• As promised, I will not explain my change within the Fluval 2, using a Polyfilter to replace the sponge.spongesponge2 verb 1 (also sponge down) [transitive]WASH to wash something with a wet cloth or sponge Clean the rug by sponging it gently. She stood on the bath mat and sponged herself down.2 [intransitive] informalASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something to get money, free meals etc from other people, without doing anything for them – used to show disapprovalsponge off/on These people are just sponging off the taxpayers.3 [transitive always + adverb/preposition]REMOVE to remove liquid or a mark with a wet cloth or spongesponge something off (something) I’ll go and sponge this juice off my dress.4 [transitive] to put paint on a surface using a spongesponge something on (something) Just sponge the paint on, like this.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
sponge• It happened that some flakes of fire had entered the muzzle of one of the guns after it was sponged.• Victoria's mucky bib came off her flower-sprigged Viyella dress and the chocolate pudding was sponged from her face.• Wearily, she sponged her torso and stomach, cleaning her wounds.• Jazzbeaux stepped under the shower, and sponged her wounds.• They did it together, soaping, sponging, laughing with the warm sudsy water sensuous against them.• When I opened my eyes, Polly was sponging my face and neck.• Even the sounds here were dry and brittle; she longed for sounds that were sponged up by green moss.• These areas can also be sponged with warm water if necessary.sponge off/on• An attendant from the tabernacle came along with a bucket and a sponge on a stick.• If growth still forms too rapidly, try placing some well-washed pieces of commercial sponge on the bottom.• Later, I helped her sponge off the caked blood.Origin sponge1 (1000-1100) Latin spongia, from Greek 