v. 25B6; verb (formal)
they'd imbibed too much whisky : DRINK, consume, quaff, guzzle, gulp (down); informal knock back, down, sink.
he had imbibed liberally : DRINK (ALCOHOL), take strong drink, tipple; informal booze, knock a few back; N. Amer. informal bend one's elbow; archaic tope.
imbibing local history : ASSIMILATE, absorb, soak up, take in, drink in, learn, acquire, grasp, pick up, familiarize oneself with.