ab‧sorb W3 / əbsɔb, əbzɔb $ -ɔrb / 动词 [及物动词]

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.