ab ‧ sorb W3 /əbˈsɔːb, əbˈzɔːb $ -ɔːrb/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: absorber , from Latin absorbere , from ab- 'away' + sorbere 'to suck up' ]
1 . LIQUID/GAS to take in liquid, gas, or another substance from the surface or space around something:
Plants absorb nutrients from the soil.
absorb something into something
Water and salts are absorbed into our blood stream.
2 . INFORMATION to read or hear a large amount of new information and understand it:
Her capacity to absorb information is amazing.
3 . INTEREST to interest someone so much that they do not pay attention to other things:
The movement and noise of the machines absorbed him completely.
be absorbed in something
Judith lay on the settee, absorbed in her book.
4 . BECOME PART OF SOMETHING to become part of something larger:
California absorbs many of the legal immigrants to the US.
be absorbed into something
We were soon absorbed into local village life.
5 . LIGHT/HEAT/ENERGY/NOISE if something absorbs light, heat, energy, or noise, it takes it in:
Darker surfaces absorb heat.
6 . DEAL WITH CHANGE/COSTS if something absorbs changes or costs, it accepts them and deals with them successfully:
The beer industry had absorbed a doubling of federal tax in 1991.
7 . MONEY/TIME if something absorbs money, time etc, it uses a lot of it:
Defence spending absorbs almost 20% of the country’s wealth.
8 . FORCE to reduce the effect of a sudden violent movement:
A well-designed sports shoe should absorb the impact on your feet.