sponge

Schwamm, Schaumstoff

Weiches Material mit vielen kleinen Löchern, das Wasser aufnimmt, oder ein Stück davon zum Reinigen.

In einfachem Englisch: A soft material with many small holes that holds water, or a piece of it used for cleaning.

• Clean the table with a sponge.
• She squeezed the water out of the sponge.
• These cushions contain thick layers of sponge.

Häufige Wendungen: wet sponge, kitchen sponge, sponge material

Meeresschwamm

Ein einfach gebautes Meerestier mit vielen winzigen Körperöffnungen, das meist an einem Felsen festgewachsen ist.

In einfachem Englisch: A simple sea animal with many tiny holes in its body, usually attached to a rock.

• A sponge grew on the rock.
• Divers photographed colourful sponges on the reef.
• This sponge filters tiny food particles from seawater.

Synonyme: poriferan, porifer

Häufige Wendungen: sea sponge, marine sponge, living sponge

schmarotzen, schnorren

Unfair von anderen leben, indem man sich Geld, Essen oder Unterkunft von ihnen geben lässt.

In einfachem Englisch: To depend unfairly on other people for money, food, or somewhere to live.

• Stop sponging off your friends.
• She accused him of sponging on the family.
• He sponged off us without ever offering to help.

So benutzt man es: sponge off/on someone (He has been sponging off his parents for years.)

Synonyme: freeload, mooch

Häufige Wendungen: sponge off someone, sponge on someone

schnorren, abstauben

Etwas von jemandem bekommen, ohne zu bezahlen, oft indem man dessen Freundlichkeit ausnutzt.

In einfachem Englisch: To get something from another person without paying, often by taking advantage of their kindness.

• He managed to sponge a meal.
• She sponged a few pounds from a friend.
• They tried to sponge drinks off the other guests.

So benutzt man es: sponge something from/off someone (He sponged a free lunch off his uncle.)

Synonyme: scrounge, mooch, cadge

Häufige Wendungen: sponge a meal, sponge something from someone