definition of the word absorb

15th Century, via Old French, from Latin absorbere, which is formed from prefix ab- (“‘from’”), + sorbere (“‘suck in’”), akin to Greek; compare French absorber.

• (RP) IPA: /əbˈzɔːb/; /əbˈsɔːb/
• (US) IPA: /æbˈzɔːrb/; /æbˈsɔːrb/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)b

to absorb (third-person singular simple present absorbs, present participle absorbing, simple past and past participle absorbed)

1. (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.
   • Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all. - Cowper
   • The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion. - W. Irving
2. (transitive) To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the lacteals of the body. - Bacon
3. (transitive) To learn
4. (transitive) To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or in the pursuit of wealth.
5. (transitive) To consume completely.
6. (transitive) To endure.
7. (transitive) (physics) To take up by chemical or physical action.

   Heat, light, and electricity are absorbed in the substances into which they pass.

8. (transitive) (finance) To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.

• (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

• (physics: to take up by chemical or physical action): emit

Definition from Wiktionary Content avaible with GNU Free Documentation License

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