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absorb

ab·sorb
A a

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [ab-sawrb, -zawrb]
    • /æbˈsɔrb, -ˈzɔrb/
    • /əbˈsɔːb/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [ab-sawrb, -zawrb]
    • /æbˈsɔrb, -ˈzɔrb/

Definitions of absorb word

  • verb absorb If something absorbs a liquid, gas, or other substance, it soaks it up or takes it in. 3
  • verb absorb If something absorbs light, heat, or another form of energy, it takes it in. 3
  • verb absorb If a group is absorbed into a larger group, it becomes part of the larger group. 3
  • verb absorb If something absorbs a force or shock, it reduces its effect. 3
  • verb absorb If a system or society absorbs changes, effects, or costs, it is able to deal with them. 3
  • verb absorb If something absorbs something valuable such as money, space, or time, it uses up a great deal of it. 3

Information block about the term

Origin of absorb

First appearance:

before 1480
One of the 25% oldest English words
1480-90; < Latin absorbēre, equivalent to ab- ab- + sorbēre to suck in, swallow

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Absorb

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

absorb popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 94% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

absorb usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for absorb

verb absorb

  • take in — the act of taking.
  • swallow — to take into the stomach by drawing through the throat and esophagus with a voluntary muscular action, as food, drink, or other substances.
  • consume — If you consume something, you eat or drink it.
  • ingest — to take, as food, into the body (opposed to egest).
  • imbibe — to consume (liquids) by drinking; drink: He imbibed great quantities of iced tea.

adjective absorb

  • steep — having an almost vertical slope or pitch, or a relatively high gradient, as a hill, an ascent, stairs, etc.

Antonyms for absorb

verb absorb

  • abstain — If you abstain from something, usually something you want to do, you deliberately do not do it.
  • disperse — to drive or send off in various directions; scatter: to disperse a crowd.
  • spew — to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth; vomit.
  • vomit — to eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth; regurgitate; throw up.
  • misunderstand — to take (words, statements, etc.) in a wrong sense; understand wrongly.

Top questions with absorb

  • how much protein can your body absorb?
  • how much protein can the body absorb?
  • when chloroplast pigments absorb light?
  • what does absorb mean?
  • why do darker colors absorb more heat?
  • how much protein can your body absorb at once?
  • how do plants absorb light energy from the sun?
  • what does the ozone layer absorb?
  • how do plants absorb water?
  • how much protein can the body absorb at once?
  • what do lacteals absorb?
  • how do plants absorb carbon dioxide?
  • what does the large intestine absorb?
  • how much protein can you absorb?
  • how to absorb iron?

See also

Matching words

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