To draw or take in; such as when the roots of a plant absorb water and nutrients.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
absorb (verb)transitive verb
1.
to take in and make part of an existent whole - the capacity of China to absorb invaders
2.
a) to suck up or take up - a sponge absorbs water charcoal absorbs gas plant roots absorb water
b) to take in - acquire learn convictions absorbed in youth M. R. Cohen
c) - use up consume the fever absorbed her strength
3.
to engage or engross wholly - absorbed in thought
4.
a) (1) to receive without recoil or echo - provided with a sound-absorbing surface
(2) - endure sustain absorbing hardships
(3) - assume bear the expenses were absorbed by the company
b) to transform (radiant energy) into a different form especially with a resulting rise in temperature - the earth absorbs the sun's rays
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
absorb (verb)1.
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
SYNONYMS:
drink, imbibe, soak (up), sponge, suck (up), take upRELATED WORDS:
gulp, guzzle, quaff, sip, slurp, swallow, swig, swill2.
to hold the attention of
SYNONYMS:
absorb, bemuse, busy, catch up, engross, enthrall ( enthral), enwrap, fascinate, grip, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, occupyRELATED WORDS:
allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, obsess; hypnotize, mesmerize; distract, preoccupy; hog, monopolizeNEAR ANTONYMS:
bore, jade, pall, tire, weary3.
to make a part of a body or system
SYNONYMS:
absorb, assimilate, co-opt, incorporate, integrateRELATED WORDS:
amalgamate, blend, combine, commingle, fuse, intermingle, merge, mingle; acculturate, accustom, condition, enculturate, habituate, naturalize4.
to make complete use of
SYNONYMS:
absorb, burn, consume, devour, drain, draw down, exhaust, expend, play out, spend, use upRELATED WORDS:
abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, reduce; eat, use; bankrupt, clean (out), impoverish; cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, weaken; dry up, empty; blow, dissipate, fritter (away), guzzle, lavish, misspend, run through, squander, throw away, wasteNEAR ANTONYMS:
augment, enlarge, increase; bolster, enforce, fortify, reinforce ( reenforce), strengthen; rebuild, repair, restore, revive; conserve, preserve, save5.
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
SYNONYMS:
abide, absorb, accept, bide, brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, take, tolerate, wearRELATED WORDS:
allow, permit, suffer, swallow; reconcile (to); acquiesce, agree (with to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)NEAR ANTONYMS:
decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down; combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist; avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss; abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)Absorb (Wikipedia)
Absorption may refer to:
Absorb (Wiktionary)
English
Etymology
From Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir, from Latin absorbeō (“swallow up”), from ab- (“from”) + sorbeō (“suck in, swallow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- (“to sip”). Compare French absorber.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /əbˈzɔːb/, /əbˈsɔːb/
- (General American)
soak up, take in, assimilate, imbibe, ingest
