absorbeo Latin · revision 33732

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *srobʰ-eie-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [apˈsɔr.be.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [abˈsɔr.be.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''absorbeō''' (present infinitive absorbēre, perfect active absorbuī or absorpsī, supine absorbitum or absorptum); second conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ Also spelled ''aps-''.^(OLD 2012)

+ The perfect is ''absorbuī'', and Lucan has ''absorpsī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ab-|sorbeō|t2=to suck in, swallow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|sorbeō]] to [[itc-pro|*sorfeie-]] and [[ine-pro|*srobʰ-eie-|t=to slurp]], an iterative, perhaps partly imitative of the sound.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[grc|ῥοφέω|tr=rhophéō|t=to slurp, gulp]] and [[lt|sur̃bti|t=to suck]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has a courtesan who swallows up whoever she touches, like a seething sea.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis & Short cite a line of Naevius' ''Bellum Punicum'' in which the wave swallows legions.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to swallow down or devour, as Horace has a man who gulps down whole cakes at once,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and of water to engulf: Cicero says the ocean could hardly have swallowed so much so fast.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Of solid things it is to swallow up or soak up: Lucan has the earth swallowing the Tigris, Celsus bread soaking up tears, Pliny the Elder the best lentils absorbing the most water, and Curtius drought drying up all moisture.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Figuratively Cicero says the tide of glory carried a man off, and that one person absorbs his whole speech.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Church Latin has “swallow, gulp, absorb”.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|absorb]] came from it in the early 15th century through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, of a courtesan who swallows up her lovers.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero, of the ocean engulfing things, and of a tide of glory.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace, of gulping down cakes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 39–65 AD – Lucan, of the earth swallowing a river.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English [[m|en|absorb]], through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|swallow]] down, [[m|en|devour]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of water, to [[m|en|engulf]], submerge.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of solid things, to swallow up; to soak up, [[m|en|absorb]]; of heat, to dry up.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To carry off; to engross, take up wholly.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[absorptiō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dēsorbeō]]

+ * [[exsorbeō]]

+ * [[obsorbeō]]

+ * [[persorbeō]]

+ * [[resorbeō]]

+ * [[sorbeō]]

+ * [[en|absorb]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}