absorb
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
- First attested around 1425.
- From Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir,from Latin absorbeō (“swallow up”), from ab (“from”) + sorbeō (“suck in, swallow”); akin to Ancient Greek ῥοφέω (ropheō, “sup up”), Middle Irish srub (“snout”), Lithuanian srēbti (“to sip”), and perhaps to Middle High German sürpfeln (“to sip”), and Norwegian slurpe.
- Compare French absorber.
Pronunciation [edit]
- (RP) IPA: /əbˈzɔːb/, /əbˈsɔːb/
- (US) IPA: /æbˈsɔrb/, /æbˈzɔrb/, /əbˈsɔrb/, /əbˈzɔrb/
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Audio (US) (file)
- Rhymes: -ɔː(r)b
Verb [edit]
absorb (third-person singular simple present absorbs, present participle absorbing, simple past and past participle absorbed or archaic, absorpt)
- (transitive) To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
- (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, obsolete) To engulf, as in water; to swallow up. [Attested from the late 15th century until the late 18th century.][1]
- 1879, Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth:
- to be absorpt, or swallowed up, in a lake of fire and brimstone.
- 1879, Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth:
- (transitive) To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the lacteals of the body; to chemically take in. [First attested in the early 17th century.][1]
- (transitive, physics, chemistry) To take in energy and convert it, as[First attested in the early 18th century.][1]
- (transitive, physics) in receiving a physical impact or vibration without recoil.
- (transitive, physics) in receiving sound energy without repercussion or echo.
- (transitive, physics) taking in radiant energy and converting it to a different form of energy, like heat.
- Heat, light, and electricity are absorbed in the substances into which they pass.
- (transitive) To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or in the pursuit of wealth. [First attested in the late 18th century.][1]
- (transitive) To occupy or consume time. [First attested in the mid 19th century.][1]
- (transitive) Assimilate mentally. [First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
- (transitive, business) To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.
- (transitive) To defray the costs.
- (transitive) To accept or purchase in quantity.
Synonyms [edit]
- (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 consume completely): use up
- (to occupy fully): engage, engross, immerse, monopolize, occupy
- (finance: to assume or pay for): assume, bear, pay for
to take in
Antonyms [edit]
- (physics: to take up by chemical or physical action): emit
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
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)
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
References [edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 2003 [1933], Brown, Lesley editor, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, edition 5th, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7, page 9:
Anagrams [edit]
See also [edit]
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English terms derived from Middle Irish
- English terms derived from Lithuanian
- English terms derived from Middle High German
- English terms derived from Norwegian
- English verbs
- English terms with obsolete senses
- en:Physics
- en:Chemistry
- en:Business