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To take in (a liquid), in any manner; to suck up; to absorb; to imbibe. And let the purple violets drink the stream. Dryden.

ming dry. Drying oil, an oil which, either naturally or after boiling with oxide of lead, absorbs oxygen from the air and dries up rapidly. Drying oils are used as the bases of many paints and varnishes.

in heaven to dwell." Shak. -- To dwell on or upon, to continue long on or in; to remain absorbed with; to stick to; to make much of; as, to dwell upon a subject; a singer dwells on a note. They stand at a distance, dwelling on his looks and language, fixed in amazement. Buckminster.

An explosive substance consisting of nitroglycerin absorbed by some inert, porous solid, as infusorial earth, sawdust, etc. It is safer than nitroglycerin, being less liable to explosion from moderate shocks, or from spontaneous decomposition.

A process of extracting perfumes by exposing absorbents, as fixed oils or fats, to the exhalations of the flowers. It is used for plants whose volatile oils are too delicate to be separated by distillation.

To seize in the gross; to take the whole of; to occupy wholly; to absorb; as, the subject engrossed all his thoughts.

To absorb or swallow up as in a gulf. It quite engulfs all human thought. Young.

The epidermal cells of rootlets, specially adapted to absorb liquids. Goodale.

preserving them from moisture; a desiccator; also, less frequently, an agent employed to absorb moisture, as calcium chloride, or concentrated sulphuric acid.

A mood of any kind which masters or possesses one for a time; a temporary, absorbing affection; a paroxysm; as, a fit melancholy, of passion, or of laughter. All fits of pleasure we balanced by an equal degree of pain. Swift. The English, however, were on this subject prone to fits of jealously. Macaulay.…

(Old Chem.), carbonic acid or carbon dioxide; -- so called by Dr. Black because it can be absorbed or fixed by strong bases. See Carbonic acid, under Carbonic. -- Fixed alkali (Old Chem.), a non-volatile base, as soda, or potash, in distinction from the volatile alkali ammonia. -- Fixed ammunition (Mil.), a projectil…

Any substance supposed to be capable of absorbing, retaining, and transporting contagious or infectious germs; as, woolen clothes are said to be active fomites.

Having the attention, thoughts, etc., absorbed in any matter, and the feelings more or less excited by it, as, to be full of some project. Every one is full of the miracles done by cold baths on decayed and weak constitutions. Locke.

To cook, as macaroni, in a savory juice or sauce until juice is absorbed and a crisp surface forms.

seaweed is attached to its support, and differing from a root in that it is not specially absorbent of moisture.

A very hard, semi-glazed, green or dark brown brick, which will not absorb water; -- called also, Dutch clinker. Wagner.

characteristic of vegetable organisms, in which carbonic acid, ammonia, and nitrates are absorbed as food, in distinction from the animal mode of nutrition, by the ingestion of albuminous matter.

tible to the eye or touch; -- used especially of the atmosphere, or of anything which has absorbed moisture from the atmosphere, as clothing.

Readily absorbing and retaining moisture; as, hygrometric substances, like potash.

The property possessed by vegetable tissues of absorbing or discharging moisture according to circumstances.