Library / English Dictionary

IMBIBE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Receive into the mind and retain

Example:

Imbibe ethical principles

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "imbibe" is one way to...):

absorb; assimilate; ingest; take in (take up mentally)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take in liquids

Example:

The children like to drink soda

Synonyms:

drink; imbibe

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "imbibe" is one way to...):

consume; have; ingest; take; take in (serve oneself to, or consume regularly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "imbibe"):

swill; swill down (drink large quantities of (liquid, especially alcoholic drink))

suck (draw into the mouth by creating a practical vacuum in the mouth)

guggle; gurgle (drink from a flask with a gurgling sound)

sip (drink in sips)

guzzle (drink greedily or as if with great thirst)

lap; lap up; lick (take up with the tongue)

drain the cup; drink up (drink to the last drop)

gulp; quaff; swig (to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught)

belt down; bolt down; down; drink down; kill; pop; pour down; toss off (drink down entirely)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

imbiber (a person who drinks alcoholic beverages (especially to excess))

imbibing; imbibition (the act of consuming liquids)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Take in, also metaphorically

Example:

She drew strength from the minister's words

Synonyms:

absorb; draw; imbibe; soak up; sop up; suck; suck up; take in; take up

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "imbibe"):

mop; mop up; wipe up (to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop)

blot (dry (ink) with blotting paper)

sponge up (absorb as if with a sponge)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

imbiber (a person who drinks alcoholic beverages (especially to excess))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Take (gas, light or heat) into a solution

Synonyms:

assimilate; imbibe

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "imbibe" is one way to...):

absorb (become imbued)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

imbibition ((chemistry) the absorption of a liquid by a solid or gel)

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