sponge

esponja

Un material blando con muchos poros que absorbe agua, o un trozo usado para limpiar.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Expresiones frecuentes: wet sponge, kitchen sponge, sponge material

esponja marina

Un animal marino de estructura sencilla, con muchos poros en el cuerpo, que suele vivir adherido a una roca.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Sinónimos: poriferan, porifer

Expresiones frecuentes: sea sponge, marine sponge, living sponge

vivir a costa de, gorronear

Depender abusivamente de otras personas para obtener dinero, comida o alojamiento.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Cómo se usa: sponge off/on someone (He has been sponging off his parents for years.)

Sinónimos: freeload, mooch

Expresiones frecuentes: sponge off someone, sponge on someone

gorronear, sacar gratis

Obtener algo de otra persona sin pagar, a menudo aprovechándose de su amabilidad.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Cómo se usa: sponge something from/off someone (He sponged a free lunch off his uncle.)

Sinónimos: scrounge, mooch, cadge

Expresiones frecuentes: sponge a meal, sponge something from someone