absorbable gelatin sponge - definition of absorbable gelatin sponge by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

sponge (sp

nj)

a. Any of numerous aquatic, chiefly marine invertebrate animals of the phylum Porifera, characteristically having a porous skeleton composed of fibrous material or siliceous or calcareous spicules and often forming irregularly shaped colonies attached to an underwater surface.

b. The light, fibrous, flexible, absorbent skeleton of certain of these organisms, used for bathing, cleaning, and other purposes.

2. Porous plastics, rubber, cellulose, or other material, similar in absorbency to this skeleton and used for the same purposes.

3. A gauze pad used to absorb blood and other fluids, as in surgery or the dressing of a wound.

4. A small absorbent contraceptive pad that contains a spermicide and is placed against the cervix of the uterus before sexual intercourse.

5. Dough that has been or is being leavened.

6. A light cake, such as sponge cake.

7. A sponge bath.

8. One who habitually depends on others for one's own maintenance.

a. Informal A glutton.

b. Slang A drunkard.

v. sponged, spong·ing, spong·es

v.tr.

1. To moisten, wipe, or clean with or as if with a sponge: sponge off the table.

2. To wipe out; erase.

3. To absorb with or as if with a sponge: sponge up the mess.

4. Informal To obtain free: sponge a meal.

v.intr.

1. To fish for sponges.

2. Informal To live by relying on the generosity of others: sponged off her parents.

[Middle English, from Old English, from Latin spongia, from Greek spongi, from spongos.]

sponge

Noun

1. a sea animal with a porous absorbent elastic skeleton

2. the skeleton of a sponge, or a piece of artificial sponge, used for bathing or cleaning

3. a soft absorbent material like a sponge

4. Also called: (sponge cake) a light cake made of eggs, sugar, and flour

5. Also called: (sponge pudding) Brit & Austral a light steamed or baked spongy pudding

6. a rub with a wet sponge

Verb

[sponging, sponged]

1. (often foll. by down)to clean (something) by rubbing it with a wet sponge

2. to remove (marks) by rubbing them with a wet sponge

3. (usually foll. by off, on)to get (something) from someone by taking advantage of his or her generosity: stop sponging off the rest of us! [Greek spongia]

spongy adj

sponge (sp

nj)

1. Any of numerous aquatic, chiefly marine invertebrate animals of the phylum Porifera. Sponges characteristically have a porous skeleton, usually containing an intricate system of canals, that is composed of fibrous material or siliceous or calcareous spicules. Water passing through the pores brings food to the organism. Sponges live in all depths of the sea, are sessile, and often form irregularly shaped colonies attached to an underwater surface. Sponges are considered the most primitive members of the animal kingdom, since they lack a nervous system and differentiated body tissues or organs. Adults do not have moving parts, but the larvae are free-swimming. Sponges have great regenerative capacities, with some species able to regenerate a complete adult organism from fragments as small as a single cell. Sponges first appear during the early Cambrian Period and may have evolved from protozoa. Also called poriferan. See Note at regeneration.

2. The light, fibrous, flexible, absorbent skeleton of certain of these organisms, used for bathing, cleaning, and other purposes.

3. A piece of porous plastic, rubber, cellulose, or other material, similar in absorbency to this skeleton and used for the same purposes.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	sponge - a porous mass of interlacing fibers that forms the internal skeleton of various marine animals and usable to absorb water or any porous rubber or cellulose product similarly used absorbent, absorbent material - a material having capacity or tendency to absorb another substance
	2.	sponge - someone able to acquire new knowledge and skills rapidly and easily; "she soaks up foreign languages like a sponge" quick study assimilator, learner, scholar - someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs
	3.	sponge - a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage leech, parasite, sponger follower - a person who accepts the leadership of another
	4.	sponge - primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies parazoan, poriferan invertebrate - any animal lacking a backbone or notochord; the term is not used as a scientific classification phylum Porifera, Porifera - coextensive with the subkingdom Parazoa: sponges glass sponge - a siliceous sponge (with glassy spicules) of the class Hyalospongiae
Verb	1.	sponge - wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten wipe, pass over - rub with a circular motion; "wipe the blackboard"; "He passed his hands over the soft cloth"
	2.	sponge - ask for and get free; be a parasite bum, cadge, grub, mooch obtain - come into possession of; "How did you obtain the visa?" freeload - live off somebody's generosity; "This young man refuses to work and is freeloading"
	3.	sponge - erase with a sponge; as of words on a blackboard rub out, score out, wipe off, erase, efface - remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing; "Please erase the formula on the blackboard--it is wrong!"
	4.	sponge - soak up with a sponge mop, mop up, wipe up - to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop; "Mop the hallway now"; "He mopped her forehead with a towel"
	5.	sponge - gather sponges, in the ocean gather, pull together, collect, garner - assemble or get together; "gather some stones"; "pull your thoughts together"