Absorb - Definitions from Dictionary.com

13 results for: Absorb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ab·sorb

Audio Help [ab-sawrb, -zawrb] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object)

1.	to suck up or drink in (a liquid); soak up: A sponge absorbs water.

2.	to swallow up the identity or individuality of; incorporate: The empire absorbed many small nations.

3.	to involve the full attention of; to engross or engage wholly: so absorbed in a book that he did not hear the bell.

4.	to occupy or fill: This job absorbs all of my time.

5.	to take up or receive by chemical or molecular action: Carbonic acid is formed when water absorbs carbon dioxide.

6.	to take in without echo, recoil, or reflection: to absorb sound and light; to absorb shock.

7.	to take in and utilize: The market absorbed all the computers we could build. Can your brain absorb all this information?

8.	to pay for (costs, taxes, etc.): The company will absorb all the research costs.

9.	Archaic. to swallow up.

[Origin: 1480–90; < L absorbére, equiv. to ab- ab- + sorbére to suck in, swallow

]

—Related forms

ab·sorb·a·ble, adjective

ab·sorb·a·bil·i·ty, noun

—Synonyms 2. assimilate, consume, devour, engulf; destroy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Absorb

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ab·sorb Audio Help (əb-sôrb', -zôrb') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. ab·sorbed, ab·sorb·ing, ab·sorbs

To take (something) in through or as through pores or interstices.
To occupy the full attention, interest, or time of; engross. See Synonyms at monopolize.
To retain (radiation or sound, for example) wholly, without reflection or transmission.
To take in; assimilate: immigrants who were absorbed into the social mainstream.
To learn; acquire: "Matisse absorbed the lesson and added to it a new language of color" (Peter Plagen).
To receive (an impulse) without echo or recoil: a fabric that absorbs sound; a bumper that absorbs impact.
To assume or pay for (a cost or costs).
To endure; accommodate: couldn't absorb the additional hardships.
To use up; consume: The project has absorbed all of our department's resources.

[Middle English, to swallow up, from Old French absorber, from Latin absorbēre : ab-, away; see ab-¹ + sorbēre, to suck.]

ab·sorb'a·bil'i·ty n., ab·sorb'a·ble adj., ab·sorb'ed·ly adv., ab·sorb'er n., ab·sorb'ing·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
absorb

1490, from M.Fr. absorber (O.Fr. assorbir), from L. absorbere "to swallow up," from ab- "from" + sorbere "suck in," from PIE base *srebh- "to suck, absorb" (cf. Armenian arbi "I drank," Gk. rhopheo "to sup greedily up, gulp down," Lith. srebiu "to drink greedily"). Absorbent (n.) first recorded 1718. Absorbing in the fig. sense of "very interesting" first recorded 1876.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

absorb
verb
1.	become imbued; "The liquids, light, and gases absorb"
2.	take up mentally; "he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe"
3.	take up, as of debts or payments; "absorb the costs for something"
4.	take in, also metaphorically; "The sponge absorbs water well"; "She drew strength from the minister's words"
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" [ant: emit]
7.	devote (oneself) fully to; "He immersed himself into his studies" [syn: steep]
8.	assimilate or take in; "The immigrants were quickly absorbed into society"
9.	consume all of one's attention or time; "Her interest in butterflies absorbs her completely"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
absorb1 [əbˈzoːb] verb

to soak up
Example: The cloth absorbed the ink I had spilled.

Arabic:	يَمْتَصْ، يَتَشَرب
Chinese (Simplified):	吸收
Chinese (Traditional):	吸收
Czech:	vsát
Danish:	opsuge; absorbere; optage
Dutch:	absorberen
Estonian:	imama
Finnish:	imeä itseensä
French:	absorber
German:	aufsaugen
Greek:	απορροφώ
Hungarian:	felszív
Icelandic:	drekka í sig
Indonesian:	menyerap
Italian:	assorbire

Japanese:	吸収する
Korean:	흡수하다
Latvian:	absorbēt; uzsūkt
Lithuanian:	sugerti
Norwegian:	suge opp, absorbere
Polish:	wchłaniać
Portuguese (Brazil):	absorver
Portuguese (Portugal):	absorver
Romanian:	a absorbi
Russian:	впитывать
Slovak:	vsať, vpiť
Slovenian:	vpiti
Spanish:	absorber
Swedish:	absorbera, suga upp
Turkish:	emmek

absorb2 [əbˈzoːb] verb

to take up the whole attention of (a person)
Example: He was completely absorbed in his book.

Arabic:	يَنْهَمِك فِي، يَنْغَمِس ، يَسْتَغْرِق فِي
Chinese (Simplified):	使专心致志［于］
Chinese (Traditional):	使專心致志［於］
Czech:	pohltit
Danish:	opsluge; fordybe
Dutch:	absorberen
Estonian:	haarama
Finnish:	syventynyt
French:	absorber
German:	fesseln
Greek:	απορροφώ (μτφ.), έλκω την προσοχή
Hungarian:	elmerül vmiben
Icelandic:	upptekinn
Indonesian:	mencurahkan perhatian
Italian:	assorbire

Japanese:	夢中にする
Korean:	몰두시키다
Latvian:	saistīt (uzmanību)
Lithuanian:	užvaldyti
Norwegian:	fordypet, opptatt av, oppslukt
Polish:	pochłaniać
Portuguese (Brazil):	absorver
Portuguese (Portugal):	absorver
Romanian:	a absorbi
Russian:	поглощать
Slovak:	zahĺbiť sa, zaujať
Slovenian:	prevzeti
Spanish:	absorber
Swedish:	uppsluka, fängsla
Turkish:	tüm ilgi ve dikkatini çekmek

See also: absorbent

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

absorb ab·sorb (əb-sôrb', -zôrb')
v. ab·sorbed, ab·sorb·ing, ab·sorbs

To take in by absorption.
To reduce the intensity of transmitted light.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ab·sorb
Pronunciation: &b-'so(&)rb, -'zo(&)rb
Function: transitive verb
1 : to take up especially by capillary,osmotic, solvent, or chemical action absorbed by the body> absorbs oxygen>
2 : totransform (radiant energy) into a different form usually with a resulting rise in temperature absorbs the other colors of light> —ab·sorb·able /&b-'sor-b&-b&l, -'zor-/ adjective —ab·sorb·er noun

Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This
absorb

To offset sell orders or a new security offering with buy orders.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ab·sorb
Function: transitive verb
1 : to make (a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution) applicable to the states
2 a : tobear or assume the burden of <expenses were absorbed by the company> b : to lessen the tax liability for <has other losses to absorb the income —D. Q.Posin>

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

That grave question which had begun to absorb the Christian mind -- the marriage of the clergy. --Milman.

Too long hath love engrossed Britannia's stage, And sunk to softness all our tragic rage. --Tickell.

Should not the sad occasion swallow up My other cares? --Addison.

And in destruction's river Engulf and swallow those. --Sir P. Sidney.

Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

ABSORB

ABSORB: in Acronym Finder

On-line Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

absorb

absorb: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary

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