imbibe

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im·bibe / imˈbīb/ • v. [tr.] formal, often humorous drink (alcohol): they were imbibing far too many pitchers of beer | [intr.] having imbibed too freely, he fell over. ∎ fig. absorb or assimilate (ideas or knowledge): the Bolshevist propaganda that you imbibed in your youth. ∎  chiefly Bot. (esp. of seeds) absorb (water) into ultramicroscopic spaces or pores. ∎  Bot. place (seeds) in water in order to absorb it.DERIVATIVES: im·bib·er n.im·bi·bi·tion / ˌimbəˈbishən/ n. ( chiefly Bot. ).

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