sponge crab

[DROMIA.] sponge-fisher, subst. A person engaged in the sponge-fishery; one who dives for sponges. sponge-fishery, s. The act or occupation of diving for sponges. "The number of men employed in the Ottoman sponge fishery is between 4,000 and 5,000."-Chamber's Encyc., ix. 57. IMG:content-0072.png:[blocks in formation] 1. To cleanse or wipe with a sponge. "To load and sponge out so huge a piece of cannon."London Daily Telegraph . 2. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to obliterate; to destroy all traces of. "So that, except betweene the words of translation and the minde of scripture it selfe, there bee contradiction, suery little difference should not see me an intolerable blemish nece arily to be spunged out."-Hooker: Eccles. Polity , bk. v., § 19. *II. Figuratively : 1. To drain; to hara by extortion; to squeeze, to plunder. IMG:content-0073.png:[blocks in formation]