absorb
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
absorb /əbˈzɔːb, -ˈsɔːb/
▶verb
- 1 soak up (liquid or another substance).
- 2 take in (information).
- 3 assimilate (a lesser entity) into a larger one.
- 4 use up (time or resources).
- 5 reduce the effect or intensity of (sound or an impact).
- 6 (usu. as adj. absorbed or absorbing) engross the attention of.
– derivatives
absorbability noun,
absorbable adjective,
absorbedly adverb,
absorber noun,
absorbingly adverb.
absorbability noun,
absorbable adjective,
absorbedly adverb,
absorber noun,
absorbingly adverb.
– origin ME: from L. absorbere, from ab- ‘from’ + sorbere ‘suck in’.
'absorb' also found in these Oxford entries:
absorbance
- adsorb
- air plant
- anechoic
- arrowroot
- assimilate
- capture
- carbon sink
- consume
- crumple zone
- drink
- engross
- food
- frog
- hydrate
- hygroscopic
- imbibe
- lacteal
- merge
- nappy
- occlude
- predigest
- reabsorb
- rehydrate
- resorb
- retain
- sanitary towel
- soak
- solar panel
- subsume
- swab
- take
- tampon
- wick
