Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To drink.
- intransitive verb To absorb or take in as if by drinking.
- intransitive verb To receive and absorb into the mind.
- intransitive verb Obsolete To permeate; saturate.
- intransitive verb To drink alcoholic beverages.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To drink in; absorb by or as if by drinking: as, a sponge imbibes moisture.
- To receive or admit into the mind; imbue one's mind with: as, to
imbibe errors. - To cause to drink in; imbue.
- To drink; absorb liquid or moisture.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To drink in; to absorb; to soak up; to suck or take in; to receive as by drinking.
- transitive verb To receive or absorb into the mind and retain
- transitive verb obsolete To saturate; to imbue.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To
drink (used frequently of alcoholicbeverages ). - verb figuratively To
take in; as, to imbibe knowledge.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb receive into the mind and retain
- verb take in, also metaphorically
- verb take (gas, light or heat) into a solution
- verb take in liquids
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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She was pleased that he seemed to be pleased with her; he asked her to "imbibe" some ice-cream with him.
Missy Dana Gatlin
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"imbibe," settled once again to listen in gloomy silence.
Old Fogy His Musical Opinions and Grotesques James Huneker 1890
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Removed Indians could then imbibe civilization—education, Christianity, farming—in the fullness of time.
Between War and Peace Col. Matthew Moten 2011
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They encourage him to imbibe large quantities of wine, and they then have relations with him during his intoxication.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: Deception And Desire: An Overview Of Genesis Rabbi Shmuley Boteach 2012
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Those wanting to imbibe while tubing would have to bring their beverages in thermoses or other reusable containers.
When Litterbugs Spoil the Floating Party Angel Gonzalez 2011
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With their one taste-organ orifice, they consume books with a sound that, if you're not born there, takes some getting used to -- and they consume so many books so fast, that * ian authors must imbibe inspiration in some way inhumanly possible as they work without rest, coffee or praise -- for on asteroid * there is an inverse of the Earth ratio of fiction writers to readers.
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They encourage him to imbibe large quantities of wine, and they then have relations with him during his intoxication.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: Deception And Desire: An Overview Of Genesis Rabbi Shmuley Boteach 2012
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Then Johnny "Rooster" Byron Mr. Rylance emerges from the trailer, does a line of coke, smokes a joint, downs more alcohol than any mortal could ever consume; you get the picture of one unsavory dude who will and does imbibe anything.
Regina Weinreich: Jerusalem on Broadway: No Trip to the Holy Land Regina Weinreich 2011
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People who socialize with heavy drinkers are more likely to imbibe a bit too much themselves.
Alcohol intake of friends, family impact your drinking habits 2010
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Then Johnny "Rooster" Byron Mr. Rylance emerges from the trailer, does a line of coke, smokes a joint, downs more alcohol than any mortal could ever consume; you get the picture of one unsavory dude who will and does imbibe anything.
Regina Weinreich: Jerusalem on Broadway: No Trip to the Holy Land Regina Weinreich 2011
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