v. im·bibed, im·bib·ing, im·bibes v.tr. 1. To drink. 2. To absorb or take in as if by drinking: "The whole body ... imbibes delight through every pore" (Henry David Thoreau). 3. To receive and absorb into the mind: "Gladstone had ... imbibed a strong prejudice against Americans" (Philip Magnus). 4. Obsolete To permeate; saturate. v.intr. To drink alcoholic beverages. [Middle English embiben, to soak up, saturate, from Latin imbibere, to drink in, imbibe : in-, in; see IN-2 + bibere, to drink; see pō(i)- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] im·biber n. |
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