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.

Spoon vs Sponge - What's the difference?

spoon | sponge |

As nouns the difference between spoon and sponge

is that spoon is an implement for eating or serving; a scooped utensil whose long handle is straight, in contrast to a ladle while sponge is (countable) any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum porifera , that have a porous skeleton often of silica.

As verbs the difference between spoon and sponge

is that spoon is to serve using a spoon or spoon can be while sponge is (slang) to take advantage of the kindness of others.

spoon

English

(wikipedia spoon)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An implement for eating or serving; a scooped utensil whose long handle is straight, in contrast to a ladle.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil.
  • An implement for stirring food while being prepared; a wooden spoon.
  • A measure that will fit into a spoon; a spoonful.
  • (sports, archaic) A wooden-headed golf club with moderate loft, similar to the modern three wood.
  • (fishing) A type of metal lure resembling the concave head of a table spoon.
  • (dentistry, informal) A spoon excavator.
  • (figuratively, slang, archaic) A simpleton, a spooney.
  • (Hood)
  • A safety handle on a hand grenade, a trigger.
  • Derived terms
    * spoonbill * spooner * spoon bread * spoon-feed, spoon-fed * dessert spoon, dessertspoon * gag me with a spoon * measuring spoon * runcible spoon * silver spoon * soup spoon, soupspoon * tablespoon * teaspoon * wooden spoon

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To serve using a spoon.
  • Sarah spooned some apple sauce onto her plate.
  • (dated) To flirt; to make advances; to court, to interact romantically or amorously.
  • * 1913 ,
  • Do you think we spoon and do? We only talk.
  • (transitive, or, intransitive, slang, of persons) To lie nestled front-to-back, following the contours of the bodies, in a manner reminiscent of stacked spoons.
  • (tennis) To hit weakly
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 28 , author=Jamie Jackson , title=Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Rosol spurned the chance to finish off a shallow second serve by spooning into the net, and a wild forehand took the set to 5-4, with the native of Prerov required to hold his serve for victory.}}
    Derived terms
    * spooner * big spoon, little spoon

    See also

    * cutlery * ladle * silverware

    Etymology 2

    Origin uncertain. Compare spoom.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • * Samuel Pepys
  • We might have spooned before the wind as well as they.
    Derived terms
    * spoon-drift

    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