absorb

verb [T] (TAKE IN)

/əbˈzɔːb/

/-ˈzɔːrb/

Definition

B2 to take something in, especially gradually: Plants absorb carbon dioxide. In cold climates, houses need to have walls that will absorb heat. Towels absorb moisture. The drug is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Our countryside is increasingly being absorbed by/into the large cities.Physical and chemical processes › to reduce the effect of a physical force, shock, or change: The barrier absorbed the main impact of the crash.Becoming and making smaller or lessBecoming and making less strong

(Definition of absorb verb (TAKE IN) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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