Absorb vs Fathom - What's the difference?
absorb | fathom |
To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up.
* (rfdate) :
* (rfdate) :
(obsolete) To engulf, as in water; to swallow up.
*
To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the lacteals of the body; to chemically take in.
(transitive, physics, chemistry) To take in energy and convert it, as
# (physics) in receiving a physical impact or vibration without recoil.
# (physics) in receiving sound energy without repercussion or echo.
# (physics) taking in radiant energy and converting it to a different form of energy, like heat.
To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or in the pursuit of wealth.
To occupy or consume time.
Assimilate mentally.
(business) To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction.
To defray the costs.
To accept or purchase in quantity.
(obsolete) Grasp, envelopment, control.
(nautical) A measure of length corresponding to the outstretched arms, standardised to six feet, now used mainly for measuring depths in seas or oceans.
(by extension) Mental reach or scope; penetration; the extent of capacity; depth of thought or contrivance.
* Shakespeare
(archaic) To encircle with outstretched arms, especially to take a measurement; to embrace.
To measure the depth of, take a sounding of.
(figuratively) To get to the bottom of; to manage to comprehend (a problem etc.).
In lang=en terms the difference between absorb and fathom
is that absorb is to accept or purchase in quantity while fathom is to measure the depth of, take a sounding of.In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between absorb and fathom
is that absorb is (obsolete) to engulf, as in water; to swallow up while fathom is (obsolete) grasp, envelopment, control.As verbs the difference between absorb and fathom
is that absorb is to include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up while fathom is (archaic) to encircle with outstretched arms, especially to take a measurement; to embrace.As a noun fathom is
(obsolete) grasp, envelopment, control.absorb
English
Verb
- Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all.
- The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion.
- Heat, light, and electricity are absorbed in the substances into which they pass.
Synonyms
* (to include so that it no longer has separate existence) assimilate, engulf, incorporate, swallow up, overwhelm * (to suck up or drink in) draw, drink in, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck, suck up, steep, take in, take up * (to consume completely) use up * (to occupy fully) engage, engross, immerse, monopolize, occupy * assume, bear, pay for to take inAntonyms
* emitDerived terms
* absorption * absorbable * absorbabilityReferences
Anagrams
*See also
* adsorbfathom
English
Noun
(en noun)- Another of his fathom they have none / To lead their business (Othello, I.i. 151-2).
Synonyms
*(measure of length corresponding to the outstretched arms) braceVerb
(en verb)- I can't for the life of me fathom what this means.