What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sponge vs Rag - What's the difference?

sponge | rag |

In lang=en terms the difference between sponge and rag

is that sponge is 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) while rag is a prank or practical joke.

In intransitive terms the difference between sponge and rag

is that sponge is to be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven while rag is to become tattered.

As nouns the difference between sponge and rag

is that sponge is any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica while rag is tattered clothes.

As verbs the difference between sponge and rag

is that sponge is to take advantage of the kindness of others while rag is to become tattered.

sponge

Noun

  • (countable) Any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera , that have a porous skeleton often of silica.
  • (countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).
  • * {{quote-book, year=1913, author=
  • , title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad , chapter=5 citation , passage=She removed Stranleigh’s coat with a dexterity that aroused his imagination. The elder woman returned with dressings and a sponge , which she placed on a chair.}}
  • (uncountable) A porous material such as sponges consist of.
  • (informal) A heavy drinker.
  • (countable, uncountable) A type of light cake; sponge cake.
  • (countable, uncountable, British) A type of steamed pudding.
  • (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).
  • (countable) A form of contraception that is inserted vaginally; a .
  • Any spongelike substance.
  • # 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.
  • # Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.
  • # Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.
  • 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.
  • The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel.
  • Synonyms

    * (marine invertebrate) sea sponge, bath sponge, poriferan, porifer * (piece of porous material used for washing) bath sponge * (light cake) sponge cake * (type of steamed pudding) sponge pudding * (person) freeloader, sponger

    Derived terms

    * breadcrumb sponge * demosponge * sea sponge * spongey * sponge bath * sponge cake

    See also

    * foam

    Verb

    (spong)
  • (slang) To take advantage of the kindness of others.
  • * L'Estrange
  • The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that sponges upon other people's trenchers.
  • To get by imposition; to scrounge.
  • * , chapter=13
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=“[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes.}}
    (Jonathan Swift)
  • To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.
  • * South
  • How came such multitudes of our nation to be sponged of their plate and their money?
  • To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.
  • To suck in, or imbibe, like a sponge.
  • To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of.
  • (Hooker)
  • To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast or leaven.
  • Synonyms

    * blag

    rag

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) . Cognate with Swedish ragg.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (in the plural) Tattered clothes.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Dryden)
  • Virtue, though in rags , will keep me warm.
  • A piece of old cloth; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred, a tatter.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Milton)
  • Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, tossed, / And fluttered into rags .
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Fuller)
  • Not having otherwise any rag of legality to cover the shame of their cruelty.
  • A shabby, beggarly fellow; a ragamuffin.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Ben Jonson)
  • The other zealous rag is the compositor.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Spenser)
  • Upon the proclamation, they all came in, both tag and rag .
  • A ragged edge in metalworking.
  • (nautical, slang) A sail, or any piece of canvas.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Lowell)
  • Our ship was a clipper with every rag set.
  • (slang, pejorative) A newspaper, magazine.
  • (rfc-sense) (poker slang) A card that appears to help no one.
  • (rfc-sense) (poker slang) A low card.
  • Derived terms
    * on the rag * lose one's rag * ragwort * smell of an oily rag

    Verb

    (ragg)
  • To become tattered.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Etymology 2

    origin; perhaps the same word as Etymology 1, above.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A coarse kind of rock, somewhat cellular in texture; ragstone.
  • * 2003 , (Peter Ackroyd), The Clerkenwell Tales , page 1:
  • the three walls around the garden, each one of thirty-three feet, were built out of three layers of stone — pebble stone, flint and rag stone.

    Verb

    (ragg)
  • To break (ore) into lumps for sorting.
  • To cut or dress roughly, as a grindstone.
  • Etymology 3

    Origin uncertain.

    Verb

    (ragg)
  • To scold or rail at; to rate; to tease; to torment; to banter.
  • To drive a car or another vehicle in a hard, fast or unsympathetic manner.
  • To tease or torment, especially at a university; to bully, to haze.
  • Derived terms
    * rag the puck * rag on

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) A prank or practical joke.
  • (UK, Ireland) A society run by university students for the purpose of charitable fundraising.
  • Derived terms

    * rag day * rag week

    Etymology 4

    Perhaps from (ragged). Compare later (ragtime).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete, US) An informal dance party featuring music played by African-American string bands.
  • A ragtime song, dance or piece of music.
  • Anagrams

    *

    References

    * Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. ISBN 978-1880069523 ----