assorbire

absorb

verb ahs-sohr-BEE-reh Less Common

Origin: from Latin absorbere, 'to swallow up'

Usage Note

Assorbire is used both physically (a sponge soaking up water) and figuratively (a task that assorbe tutte le energie, 'absorbs all one's energy'). It takes the -isc- infix in the present, assorbo or the older assorbisco. Spell it with double s.

Examples

"La spugna assorbe l'acqua."

Natural Translation

The sponge absorbs the water.

Literal Translation

The sponge absorbs the-water.

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