King James Bible Dictionary

SPUN, preterit tense and participle passive of spin.

SPUNGE, noun [Latin , Gr.]

1. A porous marine substance, found adhering to rocks, shells, etc. Under water, and on rocks about the shore at low water. It is generally supposed to be of animal origin, and consists of a fibrous reticulated substance, covered by a soft gelatinous matter, but in which no polypes have hitherto been observed. It is so porous as to imbibe a great quantity of water, and is used for various purposes in the arts and in surgery.

2. In gunnery, an instrument for cleaning cannon after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood, covered with lamb skin. For small guns, it is commonly fixed to one end of the handle of the rammer.

3. In the manege, the extremity or point of a horse-shoe, answering to the heel.

Pyrotechnical spunge is made of mushrooms or fungi, growing on old oaks, ash, fir, etc. 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.

SPUNGE, verb transitive

1. To wipe with a wet spunge; as, to spunge a slate.

2. To wipe out with a spunge as letters or writing.

3. To cleanse with a spunge; as, to spunge a cannon.

4. To wipe out completely; to extinguish or destroy.

SPUNGE, verb intransitive

1. To suck in or imbibe, as a spunge

2. To gain by mean arts, by intrusion or hanging on; as an idler who spunges on his neighbor.

SPUNGED, participle passive Wiped with a spunge; wiped out; extinguished.

SPUNGER, noun One who uses a spunge; a hanger on.

SPUNGIFORM, adjective [spunge and form.] Resembling a spunge; soft and porous; porous.

SPUNGINESS, noun The quality or state of being spungy, or porous like spunge.

SPUNGING-HOUSE, noun A bailiffs house to put debtors in.

SPUNGIOUS, adjective Full of small cavities, like a spunge; as spungious bones.

SPUNGY, adjective

1. Soft and full of cavities; of an open, loose, pliable texture; as a spungy excrescence; spungy earth; spungy cake; the spungy substance of the lungs.

2. Full of small cavities; as spungy bones.

3. Wet; drenched; soaked and soft, like spunge.

4. Having the quality of imbibing fluids.

SPUN-HAY, noun Hay twisted into ropes for convenient carriage on a military expedition.

SPUNK, noun [probably from punk.]

1. Touchwood; wood that readily takes fire. Hence,

2. Vulgarly, an inflammable temper; spirit; as a man of spunk Ill natured observations touched his spunk [Low.]

SPUN-YARN, noun Among seamen, a line or cord formed of two or three rope yarns twisted.