absorb
absorb
(əbˈsɔːb
, -ˈzɔːb) verb (transitive)
1 to soak or suck up (liquids)
2 to engage or occupy (the interest, attention, or time) of (someone); engross
3 to receive or take in (the energy of an impact)
4 physics to take in (all or part of incident radiated energy) and retain the part that is not reflected or transmitted
5 to take in or assimilate; incorporate
6 to accept and find a market for (goods, etc)
7 to pay for as part of a commercial transaction ■ the distributor absorbed the cost of transport
8 chemistry to cause to undergo a process in which one substance, usually a liquid or gas, permeates into or is dissolved by a liquid or solid ■ porous solids absorb water ■ hydrochloric acid absorbs carbon dioxide. Compare
adsorb
[C15: via Old French from Latin absorbēre to suck, swallow, from ab-1 + sorbēre to suck]
> abˌsorbaˈbility
noun
> abˈsorbable adjective
