sponges up

Verb

sponge up (third-person singular simple present sponges up, present participle sponging up, simple past and past participle sponged up)

1. (transitive) To clean with a sponge
   • I sponged up the juice spill.
2. (transitive) To soak up, like a sponge
   • The ground was so dry it sponged up all that rain.
3. (transitive) To treat (something), such as to wetten, with a sponge.
   • You have to sponge up the roller with cold water.