Absorb

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /É™bˈzɔːb/, /É™bˈsɔːb/
• US
• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)b

Origin

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.

Full definition of absorb

Verb

1. (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.

• unknown date William Cowper:Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.
• unknown date Washington Irving:The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion.
1. (transitive, obsolete) To engulf, as in water; to swallow up. Attested from the late 15^th century until the late 18^th century.
• 1879, Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth, to be absorpt, or swallowed up, in a lake of fire and brimstone.
2. (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 17^th century.
3. (transitive, physics, chemistry) To take in energy and convert it, asFirst attested in the early 18^th century.
1. (transitive, physics) in receiving a physical impact or vibration without recoil.
2. (transitive, physics) in receiving sound energy without repercussion or echo.
3. (transitive, physics) taking in radiant energy and converting it to a different form of energy, like heat.
4. Heat, light, and electricity are absorbed in the substances into which they pass.
5. (transitive) To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or in the pursuit of wealth. First attested in the late 18^th century.
6. (transitive) To occupy or consume time. First attested in the mid 19^th century.
7. (transitive) Assimilate mentally. First attested in the late 19^th century.
8. (transitive, business) To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.
9. (transitive) To defray the costs.
10. (transitive) To accept or purchase in quantity.

Synonyms

• (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

Antonyms

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

Derived terms

• absorption
• absorbable
• absorbability

Anagrams

• bobars