- throw in the sponge or towel
- idi+inf throw in the sponge or towel, to concede defeat; give up
From formal English to slang. 2014.
throw in the sponge or towel
Look at other dictionaries:
throw in the sponge — or[throw up the sponge] or[throw in the towel] {v. phr.}, {informal} To admit defeat; accept loss. * /After taking a beating for five rounds, the fighter s seconds threw in the sponge./ * /When Harold saw his arguments were not being accepted, he … Dictionary of American idioms
throw in the sponge — or[throw up the sponge] or[throw in the towel] {v. phr.}, {informal} To admit defeat; accept loss. * /After taking a beating for five rounds, the fighter s seconds threw in the sponge./ * /When Harold saw his arguments were not being accepted, he … Dictionary of American idioms
throw\ in\ the\ sponge — • throw in the sponge • throw up the sponge • throw in the towel v. phr. informal To admit defeat; accept loss. After taking a beating for five rounds, the fighter s seconds threw in the sponge. When Harold saw his arguments were not being… … Словарь американских идиом
throw\ up\ the\ sponge — • throw in the sponge • throw up the sponge • throw in the towel v. phr. informal To admit defeat; accept loss. After taking a beating for five rounds, the fighter s seconds threw in the sponge. When Harold saw his arguments were not being… … Словарь американских идиом
throw in the sponge — phrasal or throw up the sponge or throw in the towel Etymology: fr. the practice of a boxer s second of throwing a sponge or towel into the ring for his fighter to wipe his face, this being taken as an admission that they were no longer willing… … Useful english dictionary
throw in the sponge — ► throw in the towel (or sponge) 1) (in boxing) throw a towel (or sponge) into the ring as a token of defeat. 2) admit defeat. Main Entry: ↑throw … English terms dictionary
To throw up the sponge — Sponge Sponge (sp[u^]nj), n. [OF. esponge, F. [ e]ponge, L. spongia, Gr. spoggia , spo ggos. Cf. {Fungus}, {Spunk}.] [Formerly written also {spunge}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of Spongi[ae], or Porifera. See Illust. and Note… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
throw in the sponge — phrasal see throw in the towel … New Collegiate Dictionary
throw in the sponge — Go to throw in the towel … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
throw in the sponge — informal to stop trying to do something because you know that you cannot succeed. Three of the original five candidates have now thrown in the towel … New idioms dictionary
