sponging

Verb

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

1. (intransitive, slang) To take advantage of the kindness of others.
   • The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that spunges upon other Peoples Trenchers.1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC
2. (transitive, intransitive with on or upon) To get by imposition; to scrounge.
   • “[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   blag

3. (transitive) To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.
   • How came such multitudes of our nation […] to be sponged of their plate and their money?1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London
4. To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.
   • Before stepping into the bath the head should be wet with cold water, and in the bath the pit of the stomach should first be sponged.1876, Eliza Bisbee Duffey, Our Behaviour: A Manual of Etiquette and Dress of the Best American Society, Philadelphia
5. To suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.
6. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.
   • Lett the eyes which have looked on Idols, sponge out their unlawfull acts[1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page)

See all 23 meanings of sponge