The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sponging house
Sponging \Spon"ging\ (-j[i^]ng), a. & n. from Sponge, v.
Sponging house (Eng. Law), a bailiff's or other house in which debtors are put before being taken to jail, or until they compromise with their creditors. At these houses extortionate charges are commonly made for food, lodging, etc.
Wiktionary
sponging house
n. (context UK historical English) A bailiff's or other house in which debtors are put before being taken to jail, or until they compromise with their creditors. At these houses extortionate charges were commonly made for food, lodging, etc.