imbibe

verb

im·​bibe im-ˈbīb 

imbibed; imbibing

transitive verb

1

a

: drink

b

: to take in or up

a sponge imbibes moisture

2

a

: to receive into the mind and retain

imbibe moral principles

b

: to assimilate or take into solution

3

archaic : soak, steep

intransitive verb

1

: drink sense 2

2

a

: to take in liquid

b

: to absorb or assimilate moisture, gas, light, or heat

imbiber noun

Synonyms

• belt (down)
• drink
• gulp
• guzzle
• hoist
• knock back
• pound (down)
• quaff
• sip
• slug (down)
• slurp
• sup
• swig
• swill
• toss (down or off)

Examples of imbibe in a Sentence

She imbibed vast quantities of coffee.

She never imbibes but isn't offended when others do.

Recent Examples on the Web

Consumers of a certain age will even imbibe and pour a splash of liquor in there. —Andrew Watman, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

While we visitors can sidestep hurricane season and imbibe the bounty of the island without experiencing the full gamut of its temper, the locals embrace it all. —Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2024

Madrid, the capital city of Spain, is known for its storied history, stunning architecture and rich culture but the biggest draw may just be the smorgasbord of top tier dining and imbibing options. —Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Legend has it that Apollo prevented his muse priestess from brewing, imbibing or smoking laurel leaves, which have a mild narcotic property. —Alison Habens, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enbiben to absorb, cause to absorb, from Latin imbibere to drink in, absorb, from in- + bibere to drink — more at potable

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Kids Definition

imbibe

verb

im·​bibe im-ˈbīb 

imbibed; imbibing

1

: to receive into the mind and retain

imbibe knowledge

2

a

: drink entry 1 sense 1a

b

: absorb sense 1

imbiber noun