Sponge vs. Hydra

Spongenoun

(countable) Any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.

Spongenoun

(countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).

Spongenoun

(uncountable) A porous material such as sponges consist of.

Spongenoun

(informal) A heavy drinker.

Spongenoun

A type of light cake.

Spongenoun

A type of steamed pudding.

Spongenoun

(slang) A person who takes advantage of the generosity of others (abstractly imagined to absorb or soak up the money or efforts of others like a sponge).

Spongenoun

(countable) A form of contraception that is inserted vaginally; a contraceptive sponge.

Spongenoun

Any sponge-like substance.

Spongenoun

(baking) Dough before it is kneaded and formed into loaves, and after it is converted into a light, spongy mass by the agency of the yeast or leaven.

Spongenoun

Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.

Spongenoun

Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.

Spongenoun

A mop for cleaning the bore of a cannon after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood, covered with sheepskin with the wool on, or cloth with a heavy looped nap, and having a handle, or staff.

Spongenoun

The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, corresponding to the heel.

Spongeverb

To take advantage of the kindness of others.

Spongeverb

To get by imposition; to scrounge.

Spongeverb

(transitive) To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.

Spongeverb

To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.

Spongeverb

To suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.

Spongeverb

To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.

Spongeverb

To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven.

Spongenoun

Any one of numerous species of Spongiæ, or Porifera. See Illust. and Note under Spongiæ.

Spongenoun

The elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny Spongiæ (Keratosa), used for many purposes, especially the varieties of the genus Spongia. The most valuable sponges are found in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and on the coasts of Florida and the West Indies.

Spongenoun

One who lives upon others; a pertinacious and indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger.

Spongenoun

Any spongelike substance.

Spongenoun

A mop for cleaning the bore of a cannon after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood, covered with sheepskin with the wool on, or cloth with a heavy looped nap, and having a handle, or staff.

Spongenoun

The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel.

Spongeverb

To cleanse or wipe with a sponge; as, to sponge a slate or a cannon; to wet with a sponge; as, to sponge cloth.

Spongeverb

To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.

Spongeverb

Fig.: To deprive of something by imposition.

Spongeverb

Fig.: To get by imposition or mean arts without cost; as, to sponge a breakfast.

Spongeverb

To suck in, or imbibe, as a sponge.

Spongeverb

Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on; as, an idler sponges on his neighbor.

Spongeverb

To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast, or leaven.

Spongenoun

a porous mass of interlacing fibers the forms the internal skeleton of various marine animals and usable to absorb water or any porous rubber or cellulose product similarly used

Spongenoun

someone able to acquire new knowledge and skills rapidly and easily;

Spongenoun

a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage

Spongenoun

primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies

Spongeverb

wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten

Spongeverb

ask for and get free; be a parasite

Spongeverb

erase with a sponge; as of words on a blackboard

Spongeverb

soak up with a sponge

Spongeverb

gather sponges, in the ocean

Sponge

Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the Diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through them, consisting of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells.

Hydranoun

Any of several small freshwater polyps of the genus Hydra and related genera, having a naked cylindrical body and an oral opening surrounded by tentacles.

Hydranoun

A complex, multifarious problem or situation that cannot be solved easily and rapidly.

Hydranoun

A serpent or monster in the lake or marsh of Lerna, in the Peloponnesus, represented as having many heads, one of which, when cut off, was immediately succeeded by two others, unless the wound was cauterized. It was slain by Hercules. Hence, a terrible monster.

Hydranoun

Hence: A multifarious evil, or an evil having many sources; not to be overcome by a single effort.

Hydranoun

Any small fresh-water hydroid of the genus Hydra, usually found attached to sticks, stones, etc., by a basal sucker.

Hydranoun

A southern constellation of great length lying southerly from Cancer, Leo, and Virgo.

Hydranoun

(Greek mythology) monster with nine heads; when struck off each head was replaced by two new ones;

Hydranoun

a long faint constellation in the southern hemisphere near the equator stretching between Virgo and Cancer

Hydranoun

trouble that cannot be overcome by a single effort because of its many aspects or its persistent and pervasive quality;

Hydranoun

small tubular solitary freshwater hydrozoan polyp