Middle English Dictionary Entry
sponǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sponǧe n. Also spongie, spoung(g)e, (chiefly early SW or SWM) spung(e, spunce & (errors) spongonge, (early acc.) spogiam; pl. sponges, etc. & (error) spon. |
| Etymology | OE spong(e, spunge, spynge, spync & L spongia, AL spungia; cp. OF esponge, AF espunge. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A piece of the elastic, absorbent, and porous spongin skeleton of various species of Porifera, a sponge; (b) the sponge as an instrument of the Passion, the sponge soaked with vinegar and gall offered to Christ on the cross; (c) med. a sponge, often moistened with a medicament or water, for treating wounds, swelling, etc.; also, sponge used as a medicinal ingredient; ~ of the se, se ~; ~ brent (combust), brent ~, burnt or calcined sponge.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.185 : Þe hil mons Olympus..passeþ þe clowdes..And philosofres mowe not dwelle þere..wiþ oute sponges i-watred and i-holde at hir nostrilles to make þikker þe ayer.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)25a/b : Þis gobettis ben holowȝ and ful of holes as I spongonge [Mrg: as a sponge; L spongiose].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)136a/a : A cloude is kynde hologh wiþ many dennes as a sponge.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)41 : Wyþ a sponge [F esponger] fyrst led out And þanne fyssh secheþ.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)48b/a : Penicillum: a sponge.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)62a/a : Spungia [Cnt: Spongea]: a spunge [Cnt: sponge; Pep: sponce].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)109b/a : Take þe white of ane eye & drawe it þurȝ a clene spounge seuen tymes oþer eiȝte.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)522/17 : Take of gromyle..of þe stone of a sponge, [etc.].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5467 : Þai perid to him with presands..Sum spends on him of spon [L spongias] a sparles nounbre, Of mirre, [etc.].
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)25a/a : Þe nutritif blood of þe Cristallyn humour passynge þoruȝ him as watir þoruȝ a sponge schulde be purid & clarified.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)119a : A Sponge [Monson: Spoungge]: Spongia.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)5466 : Þe watir þat falliþ in-to þe erthe sinkeþ, And as a spounge þe erþe it drinkeþ.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)134/22 : Þe dei þet he wes baðe i sar swinc & ilete blod..nes his pitance o rode bute a spunge [Tit: spung] of galle.
- a1325 A schelde (Bod 622)18 : A croune y-writhe with thornes kene; A sper, a sponge, with nayles thre A body y-bounde to a tre.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 15.36 : Oon rennynge and fillinge a sponge with vynegre and puttinge aboute to a reede, ȝaue him drynke.
- c1390(?a1300) Stations Rome(1) (Vrn)381 : At þe chirche of þe holy Roode Is..a sponge of galle and Eysel..Þat Jewes profred him to drinke.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)99/30 : Also swiþe lepe vp on and tooke a spounge and wette it in eysile.
- c1425 Evang.(BodAdd C.38)1565 : One of þe knightes a sponnge toke And in vynegre it wette & to ihu mouthe it sette.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)2807 : A Iewe..in his hond a sponge hent And filled hit wiþ roten wyn.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Chr.Pass.(LdMisc 683)10 : Thynk and remembre vpon my bloody fface, The reed, the sponge, eysel meynt with galle.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)71 : Than gaue they hym to drynke eysel and galle medlyd to-gedre, put yn a sponge.
c
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)53/4 : Ȝif þat blod of þara ceolan utwealle, nym cole spogiam [read: spongiam; L Spongias] and swam and sealt, [etc.].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)200/21-2 : Take a sponge þat it be so myche þat it mowe hile al þe lyme & þan lete þe sponge drie so þervpon, & þan wete þe sponge aȝen, [etc.].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)42b/a : Makeþ a puluer of a sponge combuste [Ch.(2): brente spounge], osse sepie, [etc.].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)71a/b : Aboue, in þe wonde of þe flesh, be þer put oþer lichynyez softe or a pece of spongie þat it enbibe þe sanie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)167b/a : Thise..bene licoures symple or componed with which particulerly membrez ar fomented & batthed Or in which spongiez ar infused.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)88b/a : Þes ben medycynes þat wiþholden & constreine blode..a newe spounge wette in oile oþer wyne & aftirwarde brente & brent here.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)100b/ b : Leie on þe fleische pouder of litarge oþer poudir of hermodactiles oþer a spounge of þe see wele waschin.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)185b/a : Take ij ounce of scrofularie, ane ounce of gynger..sponge brent ana ij drammes.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)149/23 : Take of þe rote of brionie..of þe rote of moloyne, see spounge [*Ch.(1): spongiam marinam], and palea marina..Brenne þe spounge [*Ch.(1): þe spongia] and þe chaff, [etc.].
- a1450 Liber Cophonis (Add 34111)63/541 : Tak þe spounge of þe see and seþe it in salt water and in oyle and al hote lege to þe stomak.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)91b/ a : If þat a spounge were y-wet in vynegre or in watir and putt to þe wounde a noon, yt staunchiþ þe flux of blood.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)164a/a : It is good for to fille þe wounde wiþ a sponge wett in hoot wiyn & expressid.
2.
A matted tuft of asparagus root; ~ of sparage.
Associated quotations
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.636 : Nygh this mones Idus ek is best Sponge of sperage or new of sedis fourme.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.233 : This seedis [of asparagus] wel [read: wol] connect intil oon roote..calle a sponge [L spongia].
3.
Pumice; -- also pl.; also, ?some kind of stone or coral.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)159a/a : Fome of þe see is y-gadred among stones..by worching of þe hete of þe sonne þat falleþ þere on, it is y-made harde and turneth into spounge.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)184/28 : Spume maris, þat is a maner kynde of sponges, saue it is more sutil & more whit.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.373 : Thy lym of stonys hard is thus to gete: Stoon tiburtine, or floody columbine, Or spongi [L spongia] red, let brenne.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1273) Hundred R.Tower 18 : Johe Spongebolle.
- (1278) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 41139 : Thomas Sponge.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18153 : Johannes Spongebolle.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sponge.