/əb'sɔ:b; əb`sɔrb/
v [Tn]
1 (a) take (sth) in; suck up 吸收（某事物）; 吸进
*absorb heat 吸热
* Plants absorb oxygen. 植物吸收氧气.
* Dry sand absorbs water. 乾沙吸水.
* Aspirin is quickly absorbed by/into the body. 阿司匹林很快被身体吸收了.
* (fig 比喻) Clever children absorb knowledge easily. 聪明孩子容易吸收知识.
(b) include (sth/sb) as part of itself or oneself; incorporate; merge with 将（某物[某人]）合并; 并吞; 同化
*The larger firm absorbed the smaller one. 那大公司并吞了那小公司.
* The surrounding villages have been absorbed by/into the growing city. 周围的村庄已经并入了那不断扩展的城市.
2 reduce the effect of (an impact, a difficulty, etc) 减轻（冲击, 困难等的）作用或影响
*Buffers absorbed most of the shock. 缓冲器使震动减少了许多.
3 hold the attention or interest of (sb) fully 完全吸引住（某人）的注意力或兴趣
*His business absorbs him. 他专心致志地处理业务.

v [T]

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1【liquid/gas】
2【information】
3【interest】
4【become part of something】
5【light/heat/energy/noise】
6【deal with change/costs】
7【money/time】
8【force】

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[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French;Origin: absorber, from Latin absorbere, from ab- 'away' + sorbere 'to suck up']
【LIQUID/GAS】
to take in liquid, gas, or another substance from the surface or space around something
　Plants absorb nutrients from the soil.
absorb sth into sth
　Water and salts are absorbed into our blood stream.
【INFORMATION】
to read or hear a large amount of new information and understand it
　Her capacity to absorb information is amazing.
【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 sth
　Judith lay on the settee, absorbed in her book.
【BECOME PART OF SOMETHING】
to become part of something larger
　California absorbs many of the legal immigrants to the US.
be absorbed into sth
　We were soon absorbed into local village life.
【LIGHT/HEAT/ENERGY/NOISE】
if something absorbs light, heat, energy, or noise, it takes it in
　Darker surfaces absorb heat.
【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.
【MONEY/TIME】
if something absorbs money, time etc it uses a lot of it
　Defence spending absorbs almost 20% of the country's wealth.
【FORCE】
to reduce the effect of a sudden violent movement
　A well-designed sports shoe should absorb the impact on your feet.