from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Glove \Glove\ (gl[u^]v), n. [OE. glove, glofe, AS. gl[=o]f; akin
to Icel. gl[=o]fi, cf. Goth. l[=o]fa palm of the hand, Icel.
l[=o]fi.]
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1. A cover for the hand, or for the hand and wrist, with a
separate sheath for each finger. The latter characteristic
distinguishes the glove from the mitten.
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2. A boxing glove.
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{Boxing glove}. See under {Boxing}.
{Glove fight}, a pugilistic contest in which the fighters
wear boxing gloves.
{Glove money} or {Glove silver}.
(a) A tip or gratuity to servants, professedly to buy
gloves with.
(b) (Eng. Law.) A reward given to officers of courts;
also, a fee given by the sheriff of a county to the
clerk of assize and judge's officers, when there are
no offenders to be executed.
{Glove sponge} (Zool.), a fine and soft variety of commercial
sponges ({Spongia officinalis}).
{To be hand and glove with}, to be intimately associated or
on good terms with. "Hand and glove with traitors." --J.
H. Newman.
{To handle without gloves}, to treat without reserve or
tenderness; to deal roughly with. [Colloq.]
{To take up the glove}, to accept a challenge or adopt a
quarrel.
{To throw down the glove}, to challenge to combat.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sponge \Sponge\ (sp[u^]nj), n. [OF. esponge, F. ['e]ponge, L.
spongia, Gr. spoggia`, spo`ggos. Cf. {Fungus}, {Spunk}.]
[Formerly written also {spunge}.]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of Spongiae, or
Porifera. See Illust. and Note under {Spongiae}.
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2. The elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny
Spongiae (Keratosa), used for many purposes, especially
the varieties of the genus {Spongia}. The most valuable
sponges are found in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea,
and on the coasts of Florida and the West Indies.
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3. Fig.: One who lives upon others; a pertinacious and
indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger.
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4. Any spongelike substance. Specifically:
(a) 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.
(b) Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition.
(c) Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.
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5. (Gun.) 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.
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6. (Far.) The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering
to the heel.
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{Bath sponge}, any one of several varieties of coarse
commercial sponges, especially {Spongia equina}.
{Cup sponge}, a toilet sponge growing in a cup-shaped form.
{Glass sponge}. See {Glass-sponge}, in the Vocabulary.
{Glove sponge}, a variety of commercial sponge ({Spongia
officinalis}, variety tubulifera), having very fine
fibers, native of Florida, and the West Indies.
{Grass sponge}, any one of several varieties of coarse
commercial sponges having the surface irregularly tufted,
as {Spongia graminea}, and {Spongia equina}, variety
cerebriformis, of Florida and the West Indies.
{Horse sponge}, a coarse commercial sponge, especially
{Spongia equina}.
{Platinum sponge}. (Chem.) See under {Platinum}.
{Pyrotechnical sponge}, a substance made of mushrooms or
fungi, which are boiled in water, dried, and beaten, then
put in a strong lye prepared with saltpeter, and again
dried in an oven. This makes the black match, or tinder,
brought from Germany.
{Sheep's-wool sponge}, a fine and durable commercial sponge
({Spongia equina}, variety gossypina) found in Florida and
the West Indies. The surface is covered with larger and
smaller tufts, having the oscula between them.
{Sponge cake}, a kind of sweet cake which is light and
spongy.
{Sponge lead}, or {Spongy lead} (Chem.), metallic lead
brought to a spongy form by reduction of lead salts, or by
compressing finely divided lead; -- used in secondary
batteries and otherwise.
{Sponge tree} (Bot.), a tropical leguminous tree ({Acacia
Farnesiana}), with deliciously fragrant flowers, which are
used in perfumery.
{Toilet sponge}, a very fine and superior variety of
Mediterranean sponge ({Spongia officinalis}, variety
Mediterranea); -- called also {Turkish sponge}.
{To set a sponge} (Cookery), to leaven a small mass of flour,
to be used in leavening a larger quantity.
{To throw up the sponge}, to give up a contest; to
acknowledge defeat; -- from a custom of the prize ring,
the person employed to sponge a pugilist between rounds
throwing his sponge in the air in token of defeat; -- now,
{throw in the towel} is more common, and has the same
origin and meaning. [Cant or Slang] "He was too brave a
man to throw up the sponge to fate." --Lowell.
{Vegetable sponge}. (Bot.) See {Loof}.
{Velvet sponge}, a fine, soft commercial sponge ({Spongia
equina}, variety meandriniformis) found in Florida and the
West Indies.
{Vitreous sponge}. See {Glass-sponge}.
{Yellow sponge}, a common and valuable commercial sponge
({Spongia agaricina}, variety corlosia) found in Florida
and the West Indies.
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