to soak or take in (a liquid or other substance)
to learn (information, ideas, etc)
to take in (something or somebody) and make them part of an existing whole; to incorporate
absorb new entrants easily into school life — H C Dent
to engage or occupy (somebody) wholly
to receive and transform (sound, radiant energy, etc) without reflecting or transmitting it
absorbability /-ʹbiliti/ noun
absorbable adj
absorber noun
absorption noun
[early French absorber from Latin absorbēre, from ab- + sorbēre to suck up]