sponge off
phrasal verb

- to ask for money and other things from someone such as a friend or relative and make no effort to give them anything or to pay for anything yourself

(Macmillan Dictionary)

sponger
noun

- a person who gets money, food, etc. from other people, especially in order to live without working.

(Cambridge English Dictionary

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A sponge is a piece of lightweight natural or artificial material that becomes soft when wet, is able to absorb liquid and is typically used for cleaning.

To sponge, when used to mean "living at the expense of another person", dates back to the late 1600s.

Interestingly, the noun "sponge" was originally the person doing the paying, as this person was being "squeezed" for money. Nowadays the word refers to the person who is making no effort to contribute or pay expenses.

The expression "throw in the sponge" comes from boxing. Sponges are used to wipe the boxers' faces during the fight. But when a boxer can fight no more, the trainer throws the sponge into the ring as a sign of defeat. A variation of the expression is "throw in the towel".

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SYNONYMS

beg,mooch, freeload, chisel, leech, bum, scrounge, cadge

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Practice OWAD in a conversation

"Jim wanted money for coffee again. I wish he wouldn't SPONGE OFF us like that."