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Sponge

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Throw up the sponge. Give up; confess oneself beaten. The metaphor is from boxing matches.

We must stand up to our fight now, or throw up the sponge. There’s no two ways about the matter.”—Boldrewood: Robbery under Arms, chap. xxxi.


We hear that the followers of the Arab chief have thrown up the sponge.”—Newspaper paragraph, April 2nd, 1888.

 

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Spitting for Luck
Spittle or Spital
Spittle Sermons
Splay
Spleen
Splendid Shilling
Splice
Splice the Main Brace
Spoke (verb)
Spoke (noun)
Sponge
Spontaneous Combustion
Spoon
Spoon (A)
Spooning
Spoony
Sporran (Gaelic)
Sport a Door or Oak
Sporting Seasons in England
Spouse (Spouze, 1 syl.)
Spout

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Throw Up the Sponge (To)