Sponging

Pronunciation: /ˈspʌndʒɪŋ/

Definitions of sponging

verb to absorb or take in by or as if by sponging

Example Sentences

A1 The child was sponging up the spilled milk from the floor.

A2 She is sponging off the dirt from her shoes before entering the house.

B1 The artist was sponging the excess paint off the canvas to create a textured effect.

B2 The chef sponged the sauce around the plate to create an artistic presentation.

C1 The politician was accused of sponging off the public funds for personal gain.

C2 The con artist was skilled at sponging money from unsuspecting victims through elaborate schemes.

Examples of sponging in a Sentence

formal The maid was sponging the kitchen floor to clean up the spilled milk.

informal I caught my brother sponging money from my wallet again.

slang He's always sponging off his friends for free drinks.

figurative The politician was accused of sponging off the taxpayers for personal gain.

Grammatical Forms of sponging

• past tense: sponged
• plural: sponges
• comparative: more spongy
• superlative: most spongy
• present tense: sponges
• future tense: will sponge
• perfect tense: have sponged
• continuous tense: is sponging
• singular: sponge
• positive degree: spongy
• infinitive: to sponge
• gerund: sponging
• participle: sponged

Origin and Evolution of sponging

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English/Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'sponging' originated from the Old English word 'spung', which came from the Latin word 'spongia'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to the act of cleaning or wiping with a sponge, the term 'sponging' evolved to also mean taking advantage of someone or being a parasite in the 18th century.