Sponge, “to throw up the SPONGE,” to submit, to give over the struggle,—from the practice of throwing up the SPONGE used to cleanse a combatant’s face at a prize-fight, as a signal that the side on which that particular SPONGE has been used has had enough—that the SPONGE is no longer required.
Spoon, synonymous with SPOONEY. A SPOON has been defined to be “a thing that touches a lady’s lips without kissing them.”
Spooney, a weak-minded and foolish person, effeminate or fond; “to be SPOONEY on a girl,” to be foolishly attached to one.
Spoons, the condition of two persons who SPOON on each other, who are deeply in love. “I see, it’s a case of SPOONS with them,” is a common phrase when lovers are mentioned.
Spoons, a method of designating large sums of money, disclosed at the Bankruptcy Court during the examination of the great leather failures of Streatfield and Laurence in 1860-61. The origin of the phrase was stated to be the reply of the bankrupt Laurence to an offer of accommodating him with £5000,—“Oh, you are feeding me with a TEA-SPOON.” Hence, £5000 came to be known in the firm as a TEA-SPOON; £10,000, a DESSERT-SPOON; £15,000, a TABLE-SPOON; and £20,000, as a GRAVY-SPOON. The public were amused at this TEA-SPOON phraseology, but were disgusted that such levity should cover a gigantic swindle of the kind. It came out in evidence, however, that it was not the ordinary slang of the discount world, but it may not improbably become so. To “take it with a SPOON,” is to take anything in small quantities. The counsel for the defence in the Tichborne perjury case was reminded a short time back by one of the judges that he was using a TEA-SPOON instead of a shovel, to clear through the evidence.
Sport, to exhibit, to wear, &c.,—a word which is made to do duty in a variety of senses, especially at the Universities.—See the [Gradus ad Cantabrigiam]. “To SPORT a new tile;” “to SPORT an Ægrotat” (i.e., a permission from the Dons to abstain from lectures, &c., on account of illness); “to SPORT one’s oak,” to shut the outer door and exclude the public,—especially duns and boring acquaintances. Common also in the Inns of Court. See Notes and Queries, 2nd series, vol. viii. p. 492, and Gentleman’s Magazine, December, 1794.
Sport, an American term for a gambler or turfite—more akin to our sporting man than to our sportsman.
Sporting door, the outer door of chambers, also called the [OAK]. See under [SPORT].—University.
Spot, to mark, to recognise. Originally an Americanism, but now general. “I SPOTTED him (or it) at once.”
Spotted, to be known or marked by the police.