word-vault/dist/data/cards/ab/absorb.json

A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.

{
    "term": "absorb",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "absorb",
            "heSheIt": "absorbs"
        },
        "pastSimple": "absorbed",
        "pastParticiple": "absorbed",
        "ingForm": "absorbing"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to take in a liquid, gas or other substance from the surface or space around",
            "sensetop": "absorb somethingabsorb something into something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air.",
                    "contextForm": "absorb something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Let the rice cook until it has absorbed all the water."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The cream is easily absorbed into the skin.",
                    "contextForm": "absorb something into something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Concrete absorbs very little moisture."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["quickly", "rapidly", "directly"],
                "preposition": ["into"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to take in and keep heat, light, energy, sound, etc. instead of reflecting it",
            "sensetop": "absorb something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Black walls absorb a lot of heat during the day."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Physics and chemistry"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["quickly", "rapidly", "directly"],
                "preposition": ["into"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to reduce the effect of a physical impact or movement",
            "sensetop": "absorb something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This tennis racket absorbs shock on impact."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bats have graphite shafts that absorb the vibration."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to take something into the mind and learn or understand it",
            "sensetop": "absorb something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It's a lot of information to absorb all at once."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It took me several days to absorb the fact of her death."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They spent a week in Paris just absorbing the atmosphere."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He stood still, absorbing every detail of the scene."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was great to sit back and absorb the atmosphere."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The information is presented so that it can be readily absorbed."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "take in",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["easily", "readily", "fully"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to interest somebody very much so that they pay no attention to anything else",
            "sensetop": "absorb somebody",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This work had absorbed him for several years."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her work absorbed her completely."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "engross",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["completely", "totally", "utterly"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to make something smaller become part of something larger",
            "sensetop": "absorb somethingbe absorbed into something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The town absorbs an influx of tourists every summer.",
                    "contextForm": "absorb something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The surrounding small towns have been absorbed into the city.",
                    "contextForm": "be absorbed into something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "These committees were gradually absorbed into the local government machine."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["gradually"],
                "phrases": ["be absorbed into something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to use up a large supply of something, especially money or time",
            "sensetop": "absorb something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The new proposals would absorb $80 billion of the federal budget."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My work absorbs a great deal of my time."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["gradually"],
                "phrases": ["be absorbed into something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "to deal with changes, effects, costs, etc.",
            "sensetop": "absorb something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The company is unable to absorb such huge losses."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːb/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorb__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːbz/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorbs__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːbd/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorbed__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːbɪŋ/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorbing__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːrb/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorb__us_2_rr.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːrbz/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorbs__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːrbd/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorbed__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əbˈzɔːrbɪŋ/",
                "audio": "ab/absorb/absorbing__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Latin absorbere, from ab- ‘from’ + sorbere ‘suck in’."
}