absorb
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
15th Century, from Old French, from Latin absorbeō (“absorb”), from ab (“from”) + sorbeō (“suck in”). Compare French absorber.
[edit] Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɔː(r)b
[edit] Verb
absorb (third-person singular simple present absorbs, present participle absorbing, simple past and past participle absorbed)
- (transitive) To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to swallow up; to engulf; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to use up; to incorporate; to assimilate.
- (Can we date this quote?) William Cowper:
- Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.
- (Can we date this quote?) Washington Irving:
- The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion.
- (Can we date this quote?) William Cowper:
- (transitive) To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the lacteals of the body.
- (transitive) To learn
- (transitive) To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or in the pursuit of wealth.
- (transitive) To consume completely.
- (transitive) To endure.
- (transitive) (physics) To take up by chemical or physical action.
- Heat, light, and electricity are absorbed in the substances into which they pass.
- (transitive, business) To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.
[edit] Synonyms
- (to include so that it no longer has separate existence): assimilate, engulf, incorporate, swallow up, overwhelm
- (to suck up or drink in): draw, drink in, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck, suck up, steep, take in, take up
- (to learn): acquire, assimilate, ingest, learn, take in
- (to consume completely): use up
- (to occupy fully): engage, engross, immerse, monopolize, occupy
- (to endure): accommodate, bear, endure, sustain, withstand
- (finance: to assume or pay for): assume, bear, pay for
to take in
[edit] Antonyms
- (physics: to take up by chemical or physical action): emit
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
to include so that it no longer has separate existence (1)
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to suck up or drink in (2)
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to learn (3)
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to occupy fully (4)
to consume completely (5)
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to endure (6)
physics: to take up by chemical or physical action (7)
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finance: to assume or pay for (8)
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