Those paper towels were amazingly absorbent. That was quite a spill.
In the Southern Ocean the winter is not so excessively cold, but the summer is far less hot, for the clouded sky seldom allows the sun to warm the ocean, itself a bad absorbent of heat: and hence the mean temperature of the year is low.
Wikipedia foundation.
Absorbent — Ab*sorb ent, n. 1. Anything which absorbs. [1913 Webster] The ocean, itself a bad absorbent of heat. Darwin. [1913 Webster] 2. (Med.) Any substance which absorbs and neutralizes acid fluid in the stomach and bowels, as magnesia, chalk, etc.; also … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
absorbent — , absorbent ground A material is absorbent when it can soak up liquids. Towels, rags, and sponges are common examples, often used to blot, clean up, apply and spread colors, etc. An absorbent ground is a ground or coating on a surface that… … Glossary of Art Terms
Absorbent — Ab*sorb ent, a. [L. absorbens, p. pr. of absorbere.] Absorbing; swallowing; absorptive. [1913 Webster] {Absorbent ground} (Paint.), a ground prepared for a picture, chiefly with distemper, or water colors, by which the oil is absorbed, and a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
absorbent — index penetrable Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
absorbent — 1718, adjective and noun, from L. absorbentem (nom. absorbens), prp. of absorbere (see ABSORB (Cf. absorb)) … Etymology dictionary
absorbent — Absorbent Абсорбент Материал, поглощающий вещество (абсорбат) … Толковый англо-русский словарь по нанотехнологии. - М.
absorbent — [adj] capable of physically taking in a liquid absorptive, bibulous, dry, imbibing, penetrable, permeable, porous, pregnable, retentive, spongy, thirsty; concept 603 Ant. impermeable … New thesaurus
absorbent — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ able to soak up liquid easily. DERIVATIVES absorbency noun … English terms dictionary
absorbent — [ab sôr′bənt, ab′zôr′bənt; əb sôr′bənt, əbzôr′bent] adj. [L absorbens, prp. of absorbere: see ABSORB] capable of absorbing moisture, light rays, etc. n. a thing or substance that absorbs absorbency n … English World dictionary
absorbent — also absorbant adjective Etymology: Latin absorbent , absorbens, present participle of absorbēre Date: 1718 able to absorb < as absorbent as a sponge > • absorbent also absorbant noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
