Sponge

or sponger, spunge, subs. (old).—1.  A parasite (B. E. and GROSE); also (2) = ‘a thirsty fellow’ (B. E.), a drunkard. As verb. = to take kicks and lick dishes for a living. Whence SPONGING = (1) CADGING (q.v.); and (2) extortion: e.g., a SPONGING-HOUSE = a bailiff’s pound in which arrested debtors were SQUEEZED (q.v.) pending transfer to a regular prison.

  1598.  SHAKESPEARE, Merchant of Venice, i. 2. 101. I will do anything, Nerissa, ere I’ll be married to a SPONGE.

  1640.  BRATHWAITE, The Two Lancashire Lovers, v. 24. Or from the wanton affection, or too profuse expence of light Mistresses; who make Choice of rich Servants to make SPONGES of them?

  1641.  MILTON, Reformation in England, ii. Better a penurious kingdom then where excessive wealth flowes into the gracelesse and injurious hands of common SPONGES to the impoverishing of good and loyal men.

  1692.  SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, Fables, 337. There was a Generous Rich Man that kept a Splendid and an Open Table…. To try, which of ’em were Friends, and which, only Trencher-Flies, and SPUNGERS.

  1697.  SOUTH, Sermons, I. xii. How came such multitudes of our own nation … to be SPUNGED of their plate and money?

  1709.  WARD, Terræ Filius, ii. 9. [Works, i.]. I’ll warrant he has been SPUNGING a Morning’s Draught out of the Poor’s Box.

  1727.  SWIFT, Richmond Lodge and Marble Hill.

  1749.  SMOLLETT, Gil Blas (1812), III. iii. ‘Gil Blas,’ said he, ‘who is that tall SPUNGER in whose company I saw thee to-day?’

  1762.  GOLDSMITH, The Citizen of the World, xxvii. They SPUNGED up my money while it lasted, borrowed my coals and never paid for them, and cheated me when I played at cribbage.

  1809.  MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 89. We went there … both in ecstasy at having an opportunity of SPUNGING on a citizen. Ibid., (174). One of your shabby fellows always SPUNGING on his friends.

  1814.  AUSTEN, Mansfield Park, x. ‘What else have you been SPUNGING?’ said Maria.

  1843.  B. R. HALL (‘Robert Carlton’) The New Purchase, II., 140. [These preachurs] dress like big-bugs, and go ridin about the Purchis on hunder-dollur hossis, A-SPUNGININ on poor priest-riden folks.

  1848.  THACKERAY, The Book of Snobs, xxi. Bull passes the season in London, SPONGING for dinners, and sleeping in a garret near his club.

  1849–61.  MACAULAY, The History of England, ii. From all the brothels, gambling-houses, and SPUNGING-HOUSES of London, false witnesses poured forth to swear away the lives of Roman Catholics.

  1862.  C. F. BROWNE (‘Artemus Ward’), Artemus Ward: His Book [Works (1870), 51]. He leaves orf workin … and commensis SPUNGIN his livin out of other people.

  1879.  Chambers’s Journal, 28 June, 408. He … had no business to come SPONGING on Mr King.

  1887.  W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Good-Night, i. You SPUNGES miking round the pubs.

  TO THROW UP THE SPONGE, verb. phr. (orig. technical: now general).—To acknowledge defeat. [The sponge used in cleansing a combatant’s face was chucked up in sign of submission.]

  1899.  HYNE, Further Adventures of Captain Kettle, vi. Don’t THROW UP THE SPONGE until someone else does it for you.