absorb

Pronunciation: /əbˈzɔːb/

The English word “absorb” has 14 meanings listed here.

verb

To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up.
To engulf, as in water; to swallow up.
To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe, like a sponge or as the lacteals of the body; to chemically take in.
To be absorbed, or sucked in; to sink in.
To take in energy and convert it.
in receiving a physical impact or vibration without recoil.
in receiving sound energy without repercussion or echo.
taking in radiant energy and converting it to a different form of energy, like heat.
To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully.
To occupy or consume time.
To assimilate mentally.
To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.
To defray the costs.
To accept or purchase in quantity.

Etymology

From Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir, from Latin absorbeō (“swallow up”), from ab- (“from”) + sorbeō (“suck in, swallow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- (“to sip”). Compare French absorber.

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.