different between absorb vs absorbedly

English

Etymology

From Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir, from Latin absorbe? (“swallow up”), from ab- (“from”) +? sorbe? (“suck in, swallow”). Compare French absorber.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?z??b/, /?b?s??b/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /æb?s??b/, /æb?z??b/, /?b?s??b/, /?b?z??b/
• Rhymes: -??(r)b
• Hyphenation: ab?sorb

Verb

absorb (third-person singular simple present absorbs, present participle absorbing, simple past and past participle absorbed or (archaic) absorpt)

1. (transitive) 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. [first attested c. 1350 to 1470.]
   • 1782, William Cowper, On Observing some Names of Little Note

     Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To engulf, as in water; to swallow up. [Attested from the late 15th century until the late 18th century.]
3. (transitive) To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe, like a sponge or as the lacteals of the body; to chemically take in. [first attested in the early 17th century.]
4. (transitive, physics, chemistry) To take in energy and convert it, as[first attested in the early 18th century.]
   1. (transitive, physics) in receiving a physical impact or vibration without recoil.
   2. (transitive, physics) in receiving sound energy without repercussion or echo.
   3. (transitive, physics) taking in radiant energy and converting it to a different form of energy, like heat.

5. (transitive) To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully. [first attested in the late 18th century.]
   • 1904, Kazimierz Waliszewski, translated by Lady Mary Loyd, Ivan the Terrible Part 2 Chapter 3

     Livonian affairs held him tight, and were to absorb him for many a year.

6. (transitive) To occupy or consume time. [first attested in the mid 19th century.]
7. (transitive) Assimilate mentally. [first attested in the late 19th century.]
8. (transitive, business) To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.
9. (transitive) To defray the costs.
10. (transitive) To accept or purchase in quantity.

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (to include so that it no longer has separate existence): assimilate, engulf, incorporate, swallow up, overwhelm
• (to suck up or drink in): draw, drink in, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck, suck up, steep, take in, take up
• (to consume completely): use up
• (to occupy fully): engage, engross, immerse, monopolize, occupy
• (finance: to assume or pay for): assume, bear, pay for, take in

Antonyms

• (physics: to take up by chemical or physical action): emit

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• adsorb

Further reading

• Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002) , “absorb”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ?ISBN, page 9

Anagrams

• Brabos, bobars, robabs

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ab?sorb]

Verb

absorb

1. first-person singular present indicative of absorbi
2. third-person plural present indicative of absorbi
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of absorbi

English

Etymology

absorbed +? -ly

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /æb?s??b.?d.li/, /æb?z??b.?d.li/, /?b?s??b.?d.li/, /?b?z??b.?d.li/

Adverb

absorbedly (comparative more absorbedly, superlative most absorbedly)

1. In a manner as if wholly engrossed or engaged. [First attested in the mid 19th century.]
   • 1841, R. B. Peake, “The Bequeathed Heart” in The New Monthly Magazine Volume 62, 1841 part 2, p. 36,^[1]

     Michael O’Shea continued absorbedly gazing on the picture, till the welcome smell of a tumbler of Mr. Hoolagan’s whisky suddenly restored him to comparative serenity.

   • 1917, Edna Ferber, Fanny Herself, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, Chapter , pp. 65-66,^[2]

     Fanny, red-cheeked and bright-eyed from her recent mental struggles, listened interestedly, then intently, then absorbedly.

   • 1943, Mary Norton, The Magic Bed-Knob, New York: Hyperion, Chapter 8,^[3]

     Carey could see her expression. It was the face of one who was deeply and absorbedly interested.

   • 2010, Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question, New York: Bloomsbury, Part One, Chapter Four, I, p. 86,^[4]

     Treslove was no Finkler. He could not lose his heart to more than one woman at a time. He loved too absorbedly for that. But he always knew when he was about to be thrown over and was quick to make provision, where he could, to love absorbedly again.

Related terms

• absorb
• absorbably
• absorbently
• absorbingly

References