sponge

éponge

Une matière souple pleine de petits trous qui absorbe l’eau, ou un morceau utilisé pour nettoyer.

En anglais simple : 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.

Expressions courantes : wet sponge, kitchen sponge, sponge material

éponge marine

Un animal marin simple dont le corps comporte de nombreux petits trous, généralement fixé à un rocher.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : poriferan, porifer

Expressions courantes : sea sponge, marine sponge, living sponge

vivre aux dépens de, parasiter

Profiter injustement des autres pour obtenir de l’argent, de la nourriture ou un logement.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : sponge off/on someone (He has been sponging off his parents for years.)

Synonymes : freeload, mooch

Expressions courantes : sponge off someone, sponge on someone

resquiller, se faire offrir

Obtenir quelque chose de quelqu’un sans payer, souvent en profitant de sa gentillesse.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : sponge something from/off someone (He sponged a free lunch off his uncle.)

Synonymes : scrounge, mooch, cadge

Expressions courantes : sponge a meal, sponge something from someone