absorb

Universal Words verb [VN] liquid / gas 1 to take in a liquid, gas or other substance from the surface or space around: Plants absorb oxygen. * The cream is easily absorbed into the skin. * Let the rice cook until it has absorbed all the water. make part of sth larger 2 [oftenpassive] to make sth smaller become part of sth larger: The surrounding small towns have been absorbed into the city. * The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees. information 3 to take sth into the mind and learn or understand it: It's a lot of information to absorb all at once. * It took me several days to absorb the fact of her death. * They spent a week in Paris just absorbing the atmosphere. interest sb 4 to interest sb very much so that they pay no attention to anything else: This work had absorbed him for several years. heat / light / energy 5 to take in and keep heat, light, energy, etc. instead of reflecting it: Black walls absorb a lot of heat during the day. shock / impact 6 to reduce the effect of a blow, hit, etc: This tennis racket absorbs shock on impact. * The bats have graphite shafts that absorb the vibration. seealsoSHOCKABSORBER money / time / changes 7 to use up a large supply of sth, especially money or time: The new proposals would absorb $80 billion of the federal budget. 8 to deal with changes, effects, costs, etc: The company is unable to absorb such huge losses.