absolutely 
limitation, or qualification ; unconditionally ; 
positively ; peremptorily. 
Command me absolutely not to go. 
Milton, I'. I.., ix. 115C. 
Absolutely we cannot discommend, we cannot absolutely 
approve, either willingness to live or forwardness to die. 
Ilimkrr, Eccl. Pol., V. 
As a matter of fact, absolutely puiv water is never found 
in the economy of nature. Huxley, Physiog., p. llii. 
absoluteness (ab'sq-lut-nes), n. The state of 
being absolute ; independence ; completeness ; 
the state of being subject to no extraneous 
restriction or control ; positiveness ; perfection. 
If you have lived about, as the phrase is, you have lost 
that sense of the obMlutonMt and the sanctity of the hab- 
its of your fellow-patriots which once made yon so happy 
in the midst of them. 
II. James, Jr., Portraits of Places, p. 75. 
absolution (ab-so-lu'shon), n. [< ME. absolu- 
ciun, -non, -cioun, < L. absolutio(n-), < absolrere, 
loosen from : see absolve.] 1 . The act of ab- 
solving, or the state of being absolved ; release 
from consequences, obligations, or penalties; 
specifically, release from the penal conse- 
quences of sin. 
God's absolution of men is his releasing of them from 
the bands of sin with which they were tied and bound. 
Trench, Study of Words, p. 240. 
(a) According to Jiom. Cath. theol., a remission of sin, 
which the priest, on the ground of authority received 
from Christ, makes in the sacrament of penance (which 
see). " It is not a mere announcement of the gospel, or a 
bare declaration that God will pardon the sins of those 
who repent, but, as the Council of Trent defines it, is 
a judicial act by which a priest as judge passes a sen- 
tence on the penitent." Cath. Diet. (6) According to Prot. 
theol., asacerdotal declaration assuring the penitent of di- 
vine forgiveness on the ground of his repentance and faith. 
In the Roman Catholic Church the priest pronounces the 
absolution in his own name : " I absolve thee." In Prot- 
estant communions that use a form of absolution, and in 
the Greek Church, it is pronounced in the name of God 
and as a prayer : " God [or Christ] absolve thee." 
By absolution [in the Augsburg Confession] is meant the 
official declaration of the clergyman to the penitent that 
his sins are forgiven him upon finding or believing that he 
is exercising a godly sorrow, and is trusting in the blood 
of Christ. Shedd, Hist, of Christ. Doct. 
2f. Abolition ; abolishment. 
But grant it true (that the Liturgy ordered too many 
ceremonies], not a total absolutism, but a reformation 
thereof, may hence be inferred. Fuller, Ch. Hist., XI. x. 8. 
3. In civil laiVj a sentence declaring an accused 
person to be innocent of the crime laid to his 
charge Absolution from censures (eccles.), the re- 
moval of penalties imposed by the church. Absolution 
for the dead (eccles.), a short form of prayer for the re- 
pose of the soul, said after a funeral mass. Absolutions 
in the breviary (eccles.), certain short prayers said be- 
fore the lessons in matins, and before the chapter at the 
end of prime. = Syn. 1. Remission, etc. See pardon, n. 
absolutism (ab'so-lu-tizm), , [< absolute + -ism, 
after F. absolutisme = Pg. absolutismo."] 1 . The 
state of being absolute. Specifically, in political sci- 
ence, that practice or system of government in which the 
power of the sovereign is unrestricted ; a state so gov- 
erned ; despotism. 
The province of absolutism is not to dispose of the 
national life, but to maintain it without those checks on 
the exercise of power which exist elsewhere. 
Woolsey, Introd. to Inter. Law, 99. 
From the time of its first conversion Germany has never 
taken kindly to the claims of absolutism, either of author- 
ity or of belief, so strongly put forward by the Church. 
6. S. Hall, German Culture, p. 310. 
2. The principle of absolute individual power 
in government ; belief in the unrestricted right 
of determination or disposal in a sovereign. 
3. The theological doctrine of predestination 
or absolute decrees. 4. The metaphysical 
doctrines of the absolutists. = Syn. 1. Tyranny, 
Autocracy, Absolutism, etc. See despotism. 
absolutist (ab'sp-lu-tist), n. and a. [< absolute 
+ -ist, after F. dbsolutiste."] I. n. 1. An advo- 
cate of despotism, or of absolute government. 
2. In metaph., one who maintains that there is 
an absolute or non-relative existence, and that 
it is possible to know or conceive it. 
Hence the necessity which compelled Schelling and the 
absolutists to place the absolute in the indifference of sub- 
ject and object, of knowledge and existence. 
Sir W. Hamilton. 
II. a. Of or pertaining to absolutism ; des- 
potic ; absolutistic. 
Socialism would introduce, indeed, the most vexatious 
and all-encompassing absolutist government ever invented. 
Rae, Cont. Socialism, p. 386. 
All these things were odious to the old governing classes 
of France ; their spirit was absolutist, ecclesiastical and 
military. John Morley. 
absolutistic (ab"so-lu-tis'tik), a. Of, pertain- 
ing to, or characterized by absolutism ; charac- 
teristic of absolutists or absolutism. 
But the spirit of the Roman empire was too absolutistic 
to abandon the prerogative of a supervision of public wor- 
ship. Schaff, Hist. Christ. Church, III. 2. 
22 
absolutory (ab-sol'u-to-ri), a. [< ML. absoluto- 
riiis. <L. absolutiis: see absolute.'] Giving ab- 
solution; capable of absolving: as, "an ab- 
solutory sentence," Ayliffe, Parergon. 
absolvable (ab-sol'va-bl), a. Capable of being 
absolved ; deserving of or entitled to absolution. 
absolvatory (ab-sol'va-to-ri), a. [Irreg. < ab- 
sulrc + -atory ; prop, absolutory, q. v.] Confer- 
ring absolution, pardon, or release ; having 
power to absolve. 
absolve (ab-solv'), v. (. ; pret. and pp. absolved, 
ppr. absolving. [< L. absolvere, loosen from, 
< 06, from, + solvere, loosen : see solve, and cf . 
assail."] 1. To set free or release, as from some 
duty, obligation, or responsibility. 
No amount of erudition or technical skill or critical 
power can absolve the mind from the necessity of creating, 
if it would grow. W. K. Clifford, Lectures, I. 104. 
2. To free from the consequences or penalties 
attaching to actions ; acquit ; specifically, in 
eccles. language, to forgive or grant remission 
of sins ; pronounce forgiveness of sins to. 
The felon's latest breath 
Absolves the innocent man who bears his crime. 
Bryant, Hymn to Death. 
I am just absolved, 
Purged of the past, the foul in me, washed fair. 
Broirniiig, Ring and Book, II. 18. 
3t. To accomplish ; finish. 
The work begun, how soon 
Absolved. Milton, P. L., vii. 94. 
4f. To solve ; resolve ; explain. 
We shall not absolve the doubt. 
Sir T. Bromie, Vulg. Err., vi. 10. 
= 8yiL 1. To free, release, excuse, lilierate, exempt. 2. 
To acquit, excuse, clear, pardon, forgive, justify. See 
acquit. 
absolver (ab-sol'ver), n. One who absolves; 
one who remits sin, or pronounces it to be re- 
mitted. 
absolvitor (ab-sol'vi-tor), n. [Irreg. < L. ab- 
solrere : see absolve."] In law, a decree of 
absolution Decree of absolvitor, in Scots law, a 
decree in favor of the defendant in an action. A decree 
in favor of the pursuer or plaintiff is called a decree con- 
detnnator. 
absolvitory (ab-sol'vi-to-ri), a. [See absolva- 
tory. ] Absolutory; absolvatory. 
absonant (ab'so-nant), a. [< L. ab + sonan( t-)s : 
see sonant, and cf. absonous."] Wide from the 
purpose; contrary; discordant: opposed to 
consonant: as, "absonant to nature,'' Quarles, 
The Mourner. [Now rare.] 
absonatet (ab'so-nat), >. t. [For "absoniate, < 
ML. absoniatus, pp. of absoniare, avoid, lit. be 
discordant: see absonous.] To avoid; detest. 
Asli. 
absonoust (ab'so-nus), a. [< L. absonus, dis- 
cordant, < ab, from, + sonus, sound : see sound 5 ."} 
1. Unmusical. 2. Figuratively, discordant; 
opposed; contrary: as, "absonous to our rea- 
son," Glanville, Seep. Sci., iv. 
absorb (ab-sorV), v. t. [< L. absorbere, swallow 
down anything, < ab, away, + sorbere, suck up, 
= Gr. fm^e'tv, sup up.] 1. To drink in; suck 
up ; imbibe, as a sponge ; take in by absorp- 
tion, as the lacteals of the body ; hence, to take 
up or receive in, as by chemical or molecular 
action, as when charcoal absorbs gases. 
It is manifest, too, that there cannot be great self- 
mobility unless the absorbed materials are efficiently dis- 
tributed to the organs which transform insensible motion 
into sensible motion. H. Spencer, Prin. of Psychol., 2. 
Every gas and every vapor absorbs exactly those kinds 
of rays which it emits when in the glowing condition, 
whilst it permits all other kinds of rays to traverse it with 
undiminished intensity. Lommel, Nature of Light, p. 164. 
2t. To swallow up; engulf; overwhelm: as, the 
sea absorbed the wreck. 
And dark oblivion soon absorbs them all. 
Cowper, On Names in Biog. Brit. 
3. To swallow up the identity or individuality 
of; draw in as a constituent part ; incorporate : 
as, the empire absorbed all the small states. 
A clear stream flowing with a muddy one, 
Till in its onward current it absorbs . . . 
The vexed eddies of its wayward brother. 
Tennyson, Isabel. 
4 . To engross or engage wholly. 
When a tremendous sound or an astounding spectacle 
absorbs the attention, it is next to impossible to think of 
anything else. H. Spencer, Prin. of Psychol., 98. 
The confirmed invalid is in danger of becoming ab- 
sorbed in self. Whately, On Bacon's Ess. of Adversity. 
5t. In med., to counteract or neutralize: as, 
magnesia absorbs acidity in the stomach. Ab- 
sorbing-well, a vertical excavation or shaft sunk in the 
earth to enable the surface-water to reach a permeable 
bed which is not saturated with water, and can therefore 
take up or absorb and carry off the water which has access 
absorption 
to it from above. Such wells are sometimes called nega- 
tir,' H-i'lls, iraxti'-trfllt, and drain-wells; also, in the south 
of England, dead n-ells. The geological conditions favoring 
their use are rare ; but they have occasionally been found 
practicable and convenient in connection with manufactur- 
ing establishments. = Syn. 4. To Absorb, Engross, Swal- 
Inii- up, Engutf, engage, arrest, rivet, fix. (See engross.) 
Abxnrii anil engross denote the engagement of one's whole 
iittrntion and energies by some object or occupation ; but 
absorb commonly has connected with it the idea of mental 
passivity. ,;i, ,,.-.. that of mental activity. Thus, one is 
absorbed in a novel, but rngrossed in business. The words, 
however, are sometimes used interchangeably. Su<allmr up 
:md i-n'iiilf 1m ! ;i much stronger figurative sense ; engulf 
Kt'nerally expresses misfortune. 
absorbability (ab-sor-ba-bil'i-ti), . The state 
or quality of being absorbable. 
absorbable (ab-sor'ba-bl), a. .Capable of being 
absorbed or imbibed.' 
absorbed (ab-sorbd'), p. a. 1. Drawn in or 
sucked up. Specifically applied to the coloring in paint- 
ings when the oil has sunk into the canvas, leaving the 
ci'lur flat and the touches dead or indistinct: nearly sy- 
nonymous with sunk in. 
2. Engrossed : as, an absorbed look. 
absorbedly (ab-sor'bed-li), adv. In an ab- 
sorbed manner. 
absorbedness (ab-sor'bed-nes), n. The state 
of being absorbed, or of having the attention 
fully occupied. 
absorbefacient (ab-s6r-be-fa'shient), a. and . 
[< L. absorbere, absorb, -(- faden(t-)s, ppr. of 
facere, make.] I. a. Causing absorption. 
II. n. Any substance causing absorption, as 
of a swelling. H. C. Wood, Therap. 
absorbency (ab-sor'ben-si), . Absorptiveness. 
absorbent (ab-sor'bent), a. and n. [< L. ab- 
sorben(t-)s, ppr. of absorbere: see absorb.'] I. a. 
Absorbing or capable of absorbing ; imbibing ; 
swallowing; performing the function of ab- 
sorption: as, absorbent vessels; the absorbent 
system. 
"Absorption-bands" [In the spectrum] . . . indicate 
what kind of light has been stopped and extinguished by 
the absorbent object. A. Danitll, Prin. of Physics, p. 460. 
Absorbent cotton. See cotton*. Absorbent gland. 
See gland.- Absorbent grounds, in painting, picture- 
grounds prepared, either on board or on canvas, so as to 
have the power of absorbing the redundant oil from the 
colors, for the sake of quickness in drying, or to increase 
the brilliancy of the colors. Absorbent-strata water- 
power, a hydraulic device for utilizing the power of water 
passing through an absorbing-well. See absorbing-well, 
under absorb. 
II. n. Anything which absorbs. Specifically 
(a) In anat. and physiol., a vessel which imbibes or takes 
nutritive matters into the system; specifically, in the 
vertebrates, a lymphatic vessel (which see, under lym- 
phatic), (b) In therapeutics: (1) any substance used to 
absorb a morbid or excessive discharge ; (2) an alkali used 
to neutralize acids in the stomach, (c) In chem. : (1) any- 
thing that takes up into itself a gas or liquid, as a sub- 
stance which withdraws moisture from the air ; (2) a sub- 
stance, such as magnesia, lime, etc. , which neutralizes acids. 
absorber (ab-s6r'ber), n. One who or that 
which absorbs. 
Let us study the effect of using sodium vapour as the 
medium not as a source of light, but as an absorber. 
J. N. Lockyer, Spect. Anal., p. 39. 
Schlosing has investigated the action of the ocean-water 
as an absorber and regulator of the carbonic acid gas in 
the atmosphere. Smithsonian Report, 1881, p. 266. 
absorbing (ab-s6r'bing), p. a. 1. Soaking up ; 
imbibing; taking up. 
If either light or radiant heat be absorbed, the absorb- 
ing body is warmed. Tyndall, Light and Elect., p. 76. 
2. Engrossing; enchanting: as, the spectacle 
was most absorbing. 
The total aspect of the place, its sepulchral stillness, 
its absorbing perfume of evanescence and decay and mor- 
tality, confounds the distinctions and blurs the details. 
//. James, Jr., Trans. Sketches, p. 334. 
absorbingly (ab-s6r'bing-li), adv. In an ab- 
sorbing manner ; engrossingly. 
absorbitiont (ab-s6r-bish'on), n. [Irreg. < ab- 
sorb + -ition.] Absorption. 
absorptt (ab-sorpf), a. [< L. absorptus, pp. of 
absorbere: see absorb."] Absorbed. 
Circe in vain invites the feast to share, 
Absent I wander and absorpt in care. 
Pope, Odyssey, iv. 
absorptiometer (ab-sorp-shi-om'e-ter), n. [< L. 
absorptio, absorption, + Gr. uirpov, a measure : 
see meter 2 .] An instrument invented by Pro- 
fessor Bunsen to determine the amount of gas 
absorbed by a unit-volume of a liquid, it is a 
graduated tube in which a certain quantity of the gas and 
liquid is agitated over mercury. The amount of absorp- 
tion is measured on the scale by the height to which the 
mercury presses up the liquid in the tube. 
absorption (ab-sorp'shpn), n. [< l,.absorptio(n-), 
a drinking, <f absorbere ": see absorb."] The act 
or process of absorbing, or the state of being 
absorbed, in all the senses of the verb: as 
(n } The act or process of imbibing, swallowing, or engulfing 
mechanically, (b) The condition of having one's atten- 
