sponge
gb/spˈʌnd͡ʒ/ us/spˈʌnd͡ʒ/
A2
English
~ 9900
szivacs, szivaccsal tisztít, élősködik, ingyenélő, tengeri szivacs, piskóta, fogamzásgátló szivacs, felitat, felszív
NOUN
A2
1
szivacs
A2
Usage pattern:
to use a sponge to wash [something]
She grabbed a kitchen sponge and started washing the dishes.
Fogott egy konyhai szivacsot, és elkezdett mosogatni.
Use a soft sponge so you do not scratch the pan.
Használj puha szivacsot, hogy ne karcold meg a serpenyőt.
He wiped the counter with a damp sponge.
I need a new bath sponge; this one is falling apart.
The makeup artist dabbed foundation onto her face with a small sponge.
Learner examples
I wash the plates with a yellow sponge.
Sárga szivaccsal mosom el a tányérokat.
Please clean the table with a wet sponge.
Kérlek, tisztítsd meg az asztalt egy nedves szivaccsal.
She used a soft sponge to wash her face.
The sponge is dirty, so I will throw it away.
He bought a new sponge and some soap.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sponge' with 'foam' or 'bubble'. A sponge is a solid object you hold to clean things, while foam or bubbles are the light, airy substance made by soap and water.
Meaning
soft pad for washing things
Collocations
kitchen sponge
|bath sponge
|makeup sponge
|a damp sponge
|rinse the sponge
|cellulose sponge
Synonyms
scrubber (A general word for a tool used to scrub; often rougher and less absorbent than a sponge.)
Antonyms
brush (A cleaning tool with stiff bristles instead of a soft, soaking surface like a sponge.)
Themes
daily life
|household
|daily_life
|housing
Definition
A soft thing that holds water and is used to wash dishes, your body, or other things.
A soft, usually rectangular, porous pad made of natural or synthetic material, used for washing or cleaning by holding water and soap.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to sponge [something] (down/off)
He sponged the table down after dinner.
Vacsora után szivaccsal letörölte az asztalt.
Gently sponge the stain with cold water until it fades.
Óvatosan törölgesd a foltot hideg vizes szivaccsal, amíg el nem halványul.
The nurse sponged the patient's forehead to cool him.
She sponged the mud off the child's shoes.
We sponged the walls before painting them.
Learner examples
Please sponge the floor where the juice fell.
Kérlek, szivaccsal töröld fel a padlót ott, ahová kiömlött a gyümölcslé.
She sponged the baby clean in the sink.
Szivaccsal tisztára mosta a babát a mosdókagylóban.
I will sponge the window to remove the dust.
He sponged his shirt with water to remove the sauce.
The nurse sponged his face with a wet cloth.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'sponge with' when they mean 'sponge off' or 'sponge down'. Use 'sponge [something] down' for cleaning a larger area and 'sponge [something] off' for removing a mark or dirt.
Meaning
wash or wipe using a sponge
Collocations
sponge the table down
|sponge the stain
|sponge off the dirt
|sponge the walls
|sponge the child clean
Synonyms
wipe (More general; does not say what tool is used to clean.)
Antonyms
soil (To make something dirty, which is the opposite of cleaning it with a sponge.)
Themes
daily life
|household
|daily_life
|housing
Definition
To clean something with a sponge and water.
To wash or wipe something by using a sponge, usually with water and soap.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
3
élősködik
B2
Usage pattern:
to sponge off [someone]
He is nearly thirty and still sponges off his parents.
Majdnem harmincéves, és még mindig a szülein élősködik.
I am tired of you sponging off me every weekend.
Elegem van abból, hogy minden hétvégén rajtam élősködsz.
She spent years sponging off her friends instead of getting a job.
They accused him of sponging on the generosity of strangers.
Stop sponging off your sister and start paying your own bills.
Learner examples
He does not work; he just sponges off his parents.
Nem dolgozik; csak a szülein élősködik.
She always sponges off her friends for free meals.
Mindig a barátain élősködik, hogy ingyen ehessen.
I do not want to sponge off you anymore.
They think he is lazy because he sponges off other people.
You cannot sponge off your family forever.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'sponge off' with 'borrow from'. 'Borrow from' suggests you will pay back the money; 'sponge off' suggests you do not plan to give anything back and sounds negative.
Meaning
live off other people's money
Collocations
sponge off his parents
|sponge off friends
|stop sponging off
|sponge on the taxpayers
|sponge off others
Synonyms
freeload (Very close in meaning; strongly informal and often critical, like 'sponge'.)
Antonyms
contribute (To give money or help instead of only taking it from others.)
Themes
social
|money
|relationships
Definition
To often take money, food, or help from another person and not pay them back.
To habitually get money, food, or other basic things from someone else without paying or giving anything in return.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
4
ingyenélő
B2
Usage pattern:
to call [someone] a sponge
I do not mind helping you, but I am not going to support a sponge.
Nem bánom, hogy segítek neked, de egy ingyenélőt nem fogok eltartani.
He used to be a total sponge, but now he has a steady job.
Régen igazi ingyenélő volt, de most már állandó munkája van.
Nobody wants to share a flat with a sponge who never pays for anything.
She felt like a sponge living at home without a job.
If you keep acting like a sponge, your friends will stop calling.
Learner examples
They think he is a sponge because he never pays for dinner.
Azért tartják ingyenélőnek, mert soha nem fizet a vacsoráért.
I do not want to be a sponge to my family.
Nem akarok ingyenélő lenni a családom terhére.
Her brother is a sponge and does not look for work.
No one likes a sponge who only takes and never gives.
He was a sponge for years, but now he works hard.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'sponge' here means 'someone who absorbs information'. In this noun sense, it is a negative word for a person who takes money or help without giving back.
Meaning
person who lives off others
Collocations
a real sponge
|a complete sponge
|be such a sponge
|turn into a sponge
|stop being a sponge
Synonyms
sponger (A near-equivalent noun; 'sponger' is slightly more old-fashioned or British, whereas 'sponge' feels more casual and modern.)
Antonyms
breadwinner (A person who earns money to support others, the opposite of someone who lives off others' money.)
Themes
social
|character
|relationships
Definition
A person who often takes money, food, or help from others and does not give anything back.
A person who habitually lives at other people's expense by getting money, food, or help without giving anything back.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
5
szivacs
B2
Usage pattern:
a sponge lives on [the sea floor]
Divers found a brightly colored sponge attached to the coral.
A búvárok egy élénk színű szivacsot találtak a korallhoz tapadva.
Sponges filter large amounts of water each day to feed.
A szivacsok naponta nagy mennyiségű vizet szűrnek át, hogy táplálékhoz jussanak.
The researcher specializes in marine sponge ecology.
Some natural bath products are made from sea sponges.
This cave provides an ideal environment for sponge colonies.
Learner examples
A sponge is a very simple sea animal.
A szivacs nagyon egyszerű tengeri állat.
Many small fish hide near sea sponges.
Sok apró hal bújik meg a tengeri szivacsok közelében.
The sponge lives on rocks under the water.
Some people use natural sponges from the sea to wash.
Scientists study sponges to learn about early animals.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think that all sponges used for washing are artificial. Many were and some still are made from real sea sponges, which are animals.
Meaning
simple aquatic animal with pores
Collocations
sea sponge
|natural sponge
|marine sponge
|sponge species
|sponge reef
|sponge habitat
Synonyms
poriferan (A technical biological term for members of the sponge phylum; used mainly in scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
vertebrate (A type of animal with a backbone, opposite in complexity to simple invertebrates like sponges.)
Themes
science
|nature
|animals
Definition
A simple sea animal with many small holes in its body that lives on rocks and filters water for food.
A simple multicellular aquatic animal with a porous body that lives fixed to a surface and filters water to obtain food, belonging to the phylum Porifera.
NOUN
B2
6
piskóta
A2
Usage pattern:
to eat a slice of sponge
For dessert we had a warm chocolate sponge with cream.
Desszertnek meleg csokoládés piskótát ettünk tejszínhabbal.
She baked a vanilla sponge for the party.
Vaníliás piskótát sütött a partira.
The top layer is a light sponge soaked in syrup.
He prefers a simple sponge with jam in the middle.
The recipe calls for two thin sponges and fresh strawberries.
Learner examples
She made a soft sponge for my birthday.
Puha piskótát készített a születésnapomra.
I ate a big piece of sponge with cream.
Ettem egy nagy szelet piskótát tejszínhabbal.
This sponge is very light and sweet.
He likes coffee with a small sponge.
The cake shop sells a chocolate sponge.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that in British English 'sponge' alone often means 'sponge cake'. In American English, people usually say 'sponge cake', not just 'sponge'.
Meaning
light cake with spongy texture
Collocations
chocolate sponge
|Victoria sponge
|a slice of sponge
|light sponge
|sponge base
|sponge layers
Synonyms
sponge cake (The full term; 'sponge' alone is especially common in British English when the context of cake is clear.)
Antonyms
dense cake (A cake that is heavy and thick, the opposite of a light, airy sponge.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
A light, soft cake, usually made with eggs, sugar, and flour; often called sponge cake.
A light, airy cake made mainly from eggs, sugar, and flour, with a soft, spongy texture; especially in British English, often short for 'sponge cake'.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
7
Usage pattern:
to use a sponge as contraception
She discussed using a contraceptive sponge with her doctor.
Megbeszélte az orvosával a fogamzásgátló szivacs használatát.
The sponge must be inserted before intercourse and left in place for several hours.
A szivacsot nemi együttlét előtt kell felhelyezni, és több órán át a helyén kell hagyni.
Some people prefer the sponge because it does not contain hormones.
Instructions explain how to insert and remove the sponge safely.
The clinic provided information about risks and benefits of the contraceptive sponge.
Learner examples
She uses a contraceptive sponge for birth control.
Fogamzásgátló szivacsot használ védekezésre.
The doctor showed her how to use the sponge.
Az orvos megmutatta neki, hogyan kell használni a szivacsot.
You must remove the sponge after some hours.
The sponge blocks sperm from entering the womb.
They read about the contraceptive sponge online.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this medical 'sponge' with the everyday cleaning sponge. In health contexts, 'sponge' plus words like 'contraceptive' or 'vaginal' usually refers to this device.
Meaning
soft vaginal contraceptive device
Collocations
contraceptive sponge
|insert the sponge
|remove the sponge
|leave the sponge in
|use a sponge for birth control
Synonyms
contraceptive sponge (The full technical term; more precise and commonly used in health information than just 'sponge' alone.)
Antonyms
fertility (The natural ability to have children, which contraceptive methods like the sponge aim to control.)
Themes
health
|medicine
|body
Definition
A soft thing a woman puts in her vagina before sex to help stop pregnancy. It blocks sperm and often has a chemical that kills sperm.
A soft, disposable contraceptive device inserted into the vagina before sex that blocks sperm from entering the uterus and often contains spermicide.
VERB
B2
8
Usage pattern:
to sponge up [liquid]
Use this cloth to sponge up the water on the floor.
Itasd fel ezzel a ronggyal a vizet a padlóról.
The towel quickly sponged up the coffee I spilled.
A törölköző gyorsan felszívta a kávét, amit kiöntöttem.
We sponged up the rainwater that had leaked through the window.
Thick paper towels will sponge up most of the oil.
He dropped a rag and sponged up the juice before it spread.
Learner examples
She used a cloth to sponge up the milk.
Egy ronggyal itatta fel a tejet.
The towel sponged up all the water.
A törölköző felszívta az összes vizet.
We must sponge up the juice before it dries.
He sponged up the coffee on the table.
This tissue will not sponge up much water.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only 'sponge' instead of the phrasal verb 'sponge up' when they want to focus on absorbing liquid. 'Sponge' alone usually means to clean; 'sponge up' clearly means to soak up the liquid.
Meaning
absorb or soak up liquid
Collocations
sponge up the spill
|sponge up the water
|sponge up the mess
|sponge up the juice
|quickly sponge up
Synonyms
absorb (More general and formal; does not suggest using a sponge or cloth.)
Antonyms
release (To let liquid go out, the opposite of taking it in or soaking it up.)
Themes
daily life
|household
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To take in liquid, like a sponge takes in water.
To absorb or soak up liquid from a surface, in a way similar to how a sponge absorbs water.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sponge
IPA
GB/spˈʌnd͡ʒ/
US/spˈʌnd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
sponge (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sponge)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sponge
- Plural: sponge, sponges
Verb
- Base: sponge
- 3rd Person Singular: sponges
- Present Participle: sponging
- Past: sponged
Word family
Forms
sponges
noun
sponging
verb
sponged
verb
Core family
spongy
adjective
Related words
sponger
noun
Expressions
a mind like a sponge
1/ə mˈaɪnd lˈaɪk ə spˈʌnd͡ʒ/
idiom
mind that learns quickly
To have a mind that can take in and remember information very easily, like a sponge takes in water.
Examples
- Children at that age have a mind like a sponge.
- She has a mind like a sponge and remembers every detail.
- Give him books; his mind is like a sponge right now.
act like a sponge
1/ˈækt lˈaɪk ə spˈʌnd͡ʒ/
idiom
take in a lot quickly
To take in a lot of liquid, information, or experience very fast and completely, like a sponge takes in water.
Examples
- Her brain acts like a sponge when it comes to languages.
- The dry soil acted like a sponge after the first rain.
- Teenagers can act like a sponge for new ideas.
soak something up like a sponge
1/sˈoʊk sˈʌmθɪŋ ˈʌp lˈaɪk ə spˈʌnd͡ʒ/
idiom
absorb information or experiences fully
To learn or enjoy something very strongly and quickly, like a sponge takes in water.
Examples
- The students soaked up information like a sponge during the workshop.
- On her trip she soaked up the culture like a sponge.
- Kids soak up new languages like a sponge.
sponge bath
1/spˈʌnd͡ʒ bˈæθ/
fixed phrase
wash body without full bath
When you clean the body, or part of it, using a wet sponge or cloth, not by sitting in a bath or standing in a shower.
Examples
- The nurse gave the patient a sponge bath.
- When the water was cut off, we had to take sponge baths.
- She prefers a quick sponge bath in the morning.
sponge cake
1/spˈʌnd͡ʒ kˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
light airy cake
A light and soft cake made with eggs, sugar, and flour that feels like a sponge when you touch it.
Examples
- She baked a sponge cake for his birthday.
- We had strawberries and cream on top of a sponge cake.
- The recipe tells you how to make a simple sponge cake.
sponge down
1/spˈʌnd͡ʒ dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
wipe clean with wet sponge
To clean something, especially quickly, by wiping it with a wet sponge or cloth.
Examples
- The nurse sponged him down to bring down his fever.
- We sponged down the car after the long trip.
- She sponged the kitchen floor down before guests arrived.
sponge off
1/spˈʌnd͡ʒ ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
informal
live off someone without paying
To often take money, food, or other help from someone and not give anything back.
Examples
- He has been sponging off his parents for years.
- I am not going to let you sponge off me anymore.
- She hates feeling like she is sponging off her friends.
sponge on
1/spˈʌnd͡ʒ ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
informal
depend on others for support
To live using another person’s or group’s money and help and not give anything back.
Examples
- He has been sponging on his relatives since he lost his job.
- They accused him of sponging on the welfare system.
- She refused to sponge on her friends and got a part-time job.
sponge up
1/spˈʌnd͡ʒ ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
soak up spilled liquid
To take in or soak up liquid from a surface using a sponge, cloth, or similar thing.
Examples
- Use this towel to sponge up the water on the floor.
- The paper towels quickly sponged up the spilled milk.
- She sponged up the juice before it reached the carpet.