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40 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Absorb \Ab*sorb"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Absorbed; p. pr. & vb.
     n. Absorbing.] [L. absorbere; ab + sorbere to suck in, akin
     to Gr. ?: cf. F. absorber.]
     1. To swallow up; to engulf; to overwhelm; to cause to
        disappear as if by swallowing up; to use up; to include.
        ``Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.'' --Cowper.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion. --W.
                                                    Irving.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the
        lacteals of the body. --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed
        in study or the pursuit of wealth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. To take up by cohesive, chemical, or any molecular action,
        as when charcoal absorbs gases. So heat, light, and
        electricity are absorbed or taken up in the substances
        into which they pass. --Nichol.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: To Absorb, Engross, Swallow up, Engulf.
  
     Usage: These words agree in one general idea, that of
            completely taking up. They are chiefly used in a
            figurative sense and may be distinguished by a
            reference to their etymology. We speak of a person as
            absorbed (lit., drawn in, swallowed up) in study or
            some other employment of the highest interest. We
            speak of a person as ebgrossed (lit., seized upon in
            the gross, or wholly) by something which occupies his
            whole time and thoughts, as the acquisition of wealth,
            or the attainment of honor. We speak of a person
            (under a stronger image) as swallowed up and lost in
            that which completely occupies his thoughts and
            feelings, as in grief at the death of a friend, or in
            the multiplied cares of life. We speak of a person as
            engulfed in that which (like a gulf) takes in all his
            hopes and interests; as, engulfed in misery, ruin,
            etc.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  That grave question which had begun to absorb
                  the Christian mind -- the marriage of the
                  clergy.                           --Milman.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Too long hath love engrossed Britannia's stage,
                  And sunk to softness all our tragic rage.
                                                    --Tickell.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Should not the sad occasion swallow up
                  My other cares?                   --Addison.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  And in destruction's river
                  Engulf and swallow those.         --Sir P.
                                                    Sidney.
            [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  Absorb \Ab*sorb"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Absorbed; p. pr. & vb.
     n. Absorbing.] [L. absorbere; ab + sorbere to suck in, akin
     to Gr. ?: cf. F. absorber.]
     1. To swallow up; to engulf; to overwhelm; to cause to
        disappear as if by swallowing up; to use up; to include.
        ``Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.'' --Cowper.
  
              The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion. --W.
                                                    Irving.
  
     2. To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the
        lacteals of the body. --Bacon.
  
     3. To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed
        in study or the pursuit of wealth.
  
     4. To take up by cohesive, chemical, or any molecular action,
        as when charcoal absorbs gases. So heat, light, and
        electricity are absorbed or taken up in the substances
        into which they pass. --Nichol. --p. 8
  
     Syn: To Absorb, Engross, Swallow up, Engulf.
  
     Usage: These words agree in one general idea, that of
            completely taking up. They are chiefly used in a
            figurative sense and may be distinguished by a
            reference to their etymology. We speak of a person as
            absorbed (lit., drawn in, swallowed up) in study or
            some other employment of the highest interest. We
            speak of a person as ebgrossed (lit., seized upon in
            the gross, or wholly) by something which occupies his
            whole time and thoughts, as the acquisition of wealth,
            or the attainment of honor. We speak of a person
            (under a stronger image) as swallowed up and lost in
            that which completely occupies his thoughts and
            feelings, as in grief at the death of a friend, or in
            the multiplied cares of life. We speak of a person as
            engulfed in that which (like a gulf) takes in all his
            hopes and interests; as, engulfed in misery, ruin,
            etc.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 : [ wn ]


  absorb
       v 1: become imbued; "The liquids, light, and gases absorb"
       2: take up mentally; "he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of
          his tribe" [syn: assimilate, ingest, take in]
       3: take up, as of debts or payments; "absorb the costs for
          something" [syn: take over]
       4: take in, also metaphorically; "The sponge absorbs water
          well"; "She drew strength from the minister's words" [syn:
           suck, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck up, draw,
           take in, take up]
       5: cause to become one with; "The sales tax is absorbed into
          the state income tax"
       6: suck or take up or in; "A black star absorbs all matter"
          [syn: take in] [ant: emit]
       7: engross (oneself) fully; "He immersed himself into his
          studies" [syn: steep, immerse, engulf, plunge, engross,
           soak up]
       8: assimilate or take in; "The immigrants were quickly absorbed
          into society"
       9: engage or engross wholly; "Her interest in butterflies
          absorbs her completely" [syn: engross, engage, occupy]

From Greek Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-el-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     Αγγλικά vb.
     απορροφώ

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     vb.
     (lb en 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 c.
  1350 to 1470.)

From English Wiktionary: English language only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-en-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     vb.
     (lb en 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 c.
  1350 to 1470.)

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     vb.
     (lb en 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 c.
  1350 to 1470.)

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     vb.
     (lb en 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 c.
  1350 to 1470.)

From Finnish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-fi-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     Englanti vb.
     1 imeä
     2 (yhteys fysiikka k=en) absorboida
     3 sulattaa itseensä
     4 (yhteys kuva k=en) vallata, viedä kokonaan, kiehtoa
     5 omaksua (tietoa)

From Swedish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-sv-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  absorb
     Engelska vb.
     absorbera; suga upp, snappa upp

From English-Arabic FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.6.3 : [ freedict:eng-ara ]


  Absorb /ɐbsˈɔːb/
  1. امتصّ
  2. تشرّب
  3. يتشرب
  4. يمتص

From English-български език FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 : [ freedict:eng-bul ]


  absorb //æbˈsɔɹb// //æbˈzɔɹb// //əbˈsɔɹb// //əbˈsɔːb// //əbˈzɔɹb// //əbˈzɔːb// 
  1. абсорбирам
  (physics, chemistry) to take up by chemical or physical action
  2. поглъщам
  to include so that it no longer has separate existence
  3. гълтам, поглъщам
  to suck up or drink in