1. To take in (liquid, gas, or other substances) through a surface:
* Example: A sponge absorbs water.
* Example: The soil absorbs rainwater.
2. To take in (information or knowledge) and understand it:
* Example: She absorbed all the new information quickly.
* Example: The children absorbed the story with rapt attention.
3. To occupy or engage someone's attention completely:
* Example: The game completely absorbed his attention.
* Example: The beautiful scenery absorbed her thoughts.
4. To reduce the force or intensity of something:
* Example: The carpet helped to absorb the sound of footsteps.
* Example: The padding in the helmet absorbed the impact of the crash.
5. To include something as part of something larger:
* Example: The smaller company was absorbed by the larger one.
* Example: The new country absorbed the old territories.
It's important to look at the context of the sentence to determine which meaning of "absorb" is being used.