draw a sponge over the slate

verb

Synonym of wipe the slate clean.

Similar
pass a sponge over the slatewipe the slate clean
First used 19th century
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Meanings

verbdraw a sponge over the slate (third-person singular simple present draws a sponge over the slate, present participle drawing a sponge over the slate, simple past drew a sponge over the slate, past participle drawn a sponge over the slate)

present singular third person draws a sponge over the slate · participle present drawing a sponge over the slate · past drew a sponge over the slate · participle past drawn a sponge over the slate

  1. obsoleteSynonym of wipe the slate clean.First known use 19th century

    Synonyms: pass a sponge over the slate, wipe the slate clean

Synonyms & antonyms

verbSynonym of wipe the slate clean.

Similar
pass a sponge over the slatewipe the slate clean
Also see
pass a sponge over the slatewipe the slate clean

Origin

In reference to a wet sponge being used to wipe a writing slate clean.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

draw a sponge over the slate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20a%20sponge%20over%20the%20slate

MLA

“draw a sponge over the slate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20a%20sponge%20over%20the%20slate. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “draw a sponge over the slate,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20a%20sponge%20over%20the%20slate.

Source: draw a sponge over the slate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.