absorb

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ab=sorb
• COUNT in NET: 1 in 1 verses (in OT : 1 in 1 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

absorb, v. t. [L. absorbere; ab + sorbere to suck in, akin to Gr. : cf. F. absorber.].

•  To swallow up; to engulf; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to use up; to include.  Cowper.  [1913 Webster]

  "The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion."  [1913 Webster]
•  To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the lacteals of the body.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or the pursuit of wealth.  [1913 Webster]
•  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]

  "That grave question which had begun to absorb the Christian mind -- the marriage of the clergy."  [1913 Webster]

  "Too long hath love engrossed Britannia's stage,
  And sunk to softness all our tragic rage."  [1913 Webster]

  "Should not the sad occasion swallow up
  My other cares?"  [1913 Webster]

  "And in destruction's river
  Engulf and swallow those."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To Absorb, Engross, Swallow up, Engulf.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

absorb, v.tr.
1 include or incorporate as part of itself or oneself (the country successfully absorbed its immigrants).
2 take in; suck up (liquid, heat, knowledge, etc.) (she quickly absorbed all she was taught).
3 reduce the effect or intensity of; deal easily with (an impact, sound, difficulty, etc.).
4 consume (income, time, resources, etc.) (his debts absorbed half his income).
5 engross the attention of (television absorbs them completely).

Derivative

absorbable adj. absorbability n. absorber n.

Etymology

ME f. F absorber or L absorbere absorpt- (as AB-, sorbere suck in)

THESAURUS

absorb

ablate, absorb the attention, adsorb, appreciate, apprehend, appropriate, arrest, assimilate, be with one, bleed white, blot, blot up, burn up, buy up, catch, catch on, catch up in, charm, chemisorb, chemosorb, come uppermost, comprehend, conceive, concern, consume, corner, deplete, dig, digest, drain, drain of resources, draw in, drink, drink in, drink up, eat, eat up, embarrass, embody, enchant, engage, engage the attention, engage the mind, engage the thoughts, engross, engross the mind, engross the thoughts, enmesh, entangle, enthrall, erode, exercise, exhaust, expend, fascinate, fathom, fill the mind, filter in, finish, finish off, follow, get, get hold of, get the drift, get the idea, get the picture, gobble, gobble up, grab, grasp, grip, have, have it taped, hold, hold spellbound, hold the interest, hypnotize, imbibe, imbue, immerse, implicate, impoverish, impregnate, incorporate, infiltrate, infuse, ingest, interest, involve, involve the interest, ken, know, learn, master, mesmerize, metabolize, monopolize, monopolize the thoughts, obsess, obsess the mind, occupy, occupy the attention, occupy the mind, osmose, percolate in, permeate, predigest, preoccupy, read, realize, savvy, seep in, seize, seize the meaning, seize the mind, sense, sew up, slurp up, soak in, soak up, sorb, spellbind, spend, sponge, squander, suck dry, suck into, swallow, swallow up, swill up, take, take in, take up, tangle, understand, use up, waste away, wear away

ROGET THESAURUS

absorb

Combination

VB combine, unite, incorporate, amalgamate, embody, absorb, reembody, blend, merge, fuse, melt into one, consolidate, coalesce, centralize, impregnate, put together, lump together, cement a union, marry.

Use

VB use, make use of, employ, put to use, put in action, put in operation, put in practice, set in motion, set to work, ply, work, wield, handle, manipulate, play, play off, exert, exercise, practice, avail oneself of, profit by, resort to, have recourse to, recur to, take betake oneself to, take up with, take advantage of, lay one's hands on, try, render useful, mold, turn to account, turn to use, convert to use, utilize, work up, call into play, bring into play, put into requisition, call forth, draw forth, press into service, enlist into the service, bring to bear upon, devote, dedicate, consecrate, apply, adhibit, dispose of, make a handle of, make a cat's-paw of, fall back upon, make a shift with, make the most of, make the best of, use up, swallow up, consume, absorb, expend, tax, task, wear, put to task.

Taking

VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Reception

VB give entrance to, give admittance to, give the entree, introduce, intromit, usher, admit, receive, import, bring in, open the door to, throw in, ingest, absorb, imbibe, inhale, breathe in, let in, take in, suck in, draw in, readmit, resorb, reabsorb, snuff up, swallow, ingurgitate, engulf, engorge, gulp, eat, drink.