digest en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English digesten, from Latin dīgestus, past participle of dīgerō (“carry apart”), from dī- (for dis- (“apart”)) + gerō (“to carry”), influenced by Middle French digestion. Partly displaced native Old English meltan (intransitive) and mieltan (transitive), both “to melt, to digest,” whence Modern English melt.
Meanings
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(transitive) To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application.
joining them together and digesting them into order
1783, Hugh Blair, Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres:We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested.
c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:to digest laws
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(transitive) To separate (the food) in its passage through the alimentary canal into the nutritive and nonnutritive elements; to prepare, by the action of the digestive juices, for conversion into blood; to convert into chyme.
In the morning giue them [horses] barley or prouender, a little at a time in diſtinct or ſeueral portions, tvvice or thrice one after another, ſo as he may chevv and eke diſgeſt it thoroughly, othervviſe if he rauen it, as he vvil do hauing much at a time, he rendreth it in his dung vvhole and not diſgeſted.
1607, Conradus Gesnerus [i.e., Conrad Gessner]; Edward Topsell, “Of Handling, Taming, or Breaking of Horsses”, in The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes. […], London: […] William Iaggard, →OCLC, page 303:
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(transitive) To think over and arrange methodically in the mind; to reduce to a plan or method; to receive in the mind and consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend.
Grant that we may in such wise hear them [the Scriptures], read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.
1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC:Feelingly digest the words you speak in prayer.
1566, Henry Sidney, letter to Philip Sidney:How shall this bosom multiplied digest / The senate's courtesy?
c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
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To bear comfortably or patiently; to be reconciled to; to brook.
I never can digest the loss of most of Origen's works.
1834, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk - Toleration-Norwegians:
- (transitive) To expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations.
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(intransitive) To undergo digestion.
I just ate an omelette and I'm waiting for it to digest.
I was at the Mathematical School, where the Maſter taught his Pupils after a Method ſcarce imaginable to us in Europe. The Propoſition and Demonſtration were fairly written on a thin Wafer, with Ink compoſed of a Cephalick Tincture. This the Student was to ſwallow upon a faſting Stomach, and for three days following eat nothing but Bread and Water. As the Wafer digeſted, the Tincture mounted to his Brain, bearing the Propoſition along with it.
1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Permitted to See the Grand Academy of Lagado. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 78:
- (of DNA molecules, transitive) To cut with one or more restriction endonucleases.
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(intransitive, obsolete) To suppurate; to generate pus, as an ulcer.
The Lips of the Abſceſs digeſted vvell, but from vvithin it onely gleeted, and thruſt out Fat, vvhich vve daily cut off vvithout the loſs of a drop of blood, and dreſſed up the Abſceſs vvith mundif. ex apio, continuing the uſe of diſcutient Fomentations and Cataplaſins.
1676, Richard Wiseman, “The First Book. A Treatise of Tumours. Chapter XVIII. Of an Oedema.”, in Severall Chirurgicall Treatises, London: […] E. Flesher and J. Macock, for R[ichard] Royston […], and B[enjamin] Took, […], →OCLC, page 89:
- (obsolete, transitive) To cause to suppurate, or generate pus, as an ulcer or wound.
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(obsolete, transitive) To ripen; to mature.
well-digested fruits
1662, Jeremy Taylor, The Measures and Offices of Friendship:
- (obsolete, transitive) To quieten or reduce (a negative feeling, such as anger or grief).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| digested | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| digested | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| digesting | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| digests | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Deriveds
digestedness · digester · autodigest · digestogram · rest-and-digest · digestome · digestate · digestor · digestability · codigest · undigested · digestant · predigest · indigested · digestedly · nondigested · semidigested · undigesting · maldigested · misdigest · underdigested · maldigest · redigest
Synonyms
sort out (distribute or arrange methodically) · arrange (distribute or arrange methodically) · sort (distribute or arrange methodically) · sort out (think over and arrange methodically in the mind)
Translations (142)
mi kūnatu (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · yi פֿאַרדײַען (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · hu megemészt (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · bg усвоя́ (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · scn raggiunari (Italianization) (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · ru перевари́ть (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · scn diggiriri (to undergo digestion) · da fordøje (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · de verdauen (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · la digero (in chemistry: to soften by heat and moisture) · tr sindirmek (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru усва́ивать (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru усво́ить (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · la digero (to distribute or arrange methodically) · ang mieltan (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · bg усвоя́вам (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · fi sulaa (to undergo digestion) · fi järjestellä (to distribute or arrange methodically) · ru усва́ивать (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · ru перевари́ться (to undergo digestion) · scn diggiriri (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · eo digesti (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · de verdaulich sein (to undergo digestion) · sv smälta (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · bg усвоя́вам (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · fr digérer (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · de überdenken (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · ru перева́ривать (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · hi पचाना (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · sk tráviť (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · scn raciunari (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · cs trávit (to undergo digestion) · lo ຍ່ອຍ (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · fi sulattaa (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · mk свари (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · it digerire (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · pl trawić (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · dsb póžywaś (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru перевари́ть (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · is melta (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · de ordnen (to distribute or arrange methodically) · dsb póžyś (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · th ย่อย (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · de verdauen (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · be стравава́ць (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · fi annostella (to distribute or arrange methodically) · sh pròbavljati (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · io digestar (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · cmn 消化 (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · he הִתְעַכֵּל (to undergo digestion) · mk сварува (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · tr düzenlemek (to distribute or arrange methodically) · bg сме́ля се (to undergo digestion) · hsb požiwać (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · bg усвоя́ (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · es digerir (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · az həzm etmək (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · pt digerir (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · uk засво́ювати (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · vo dicetön (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · gl cocer (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru усво́ить (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ta ஜீரணி (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · nl ordenen (to distribute or arrange methodically) · ru усво́иться (to undergo digestion) · yue 消化 (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · sh свари́вати (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · be ператраўля́ць (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · he עִכֵּל (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · sh про̀бавити (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · mi whakangawhere (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ga díleáigh (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · gl dixerir (to distribute or arrange methodically) · cs trávit (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ro digera (to undergo digestion) · hi पचना (to undergo digestion) · az əritmək (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru усва́иваться (to undergo digestion) · hy մարսել (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · es digerirse (to undergo digestion) · sh sváriti (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · sl prebaviti (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · he עיכל (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · be траві́ць (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · es digerir (to distribute or arrange methodically) · bg усвоя́вам се (to undergo digestion) · sh pròbaviti (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ca digerir (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · sl prebavljati (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru перева́риваться (to undergo digestion) · sh сва́рити (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · mt ġerragħ (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · hu emészt (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · sh svarívati (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ru перева́ривать (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · hu megemésztődik (to undergo digestion) · bg усвоя́ се (to undergo digestion) · bg сме́ля (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · tr hazmedilir olmak (to undergo digestion) · scn cunzari (to distribute or arrange methodically) · ang meltan (to undergo digestion) · gd cnàmh (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · fi sulattaa (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · la digero (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · gd cnàmh (to undergo digestion) · de aufschließen (in chemistry: to soften by heat and moisture) · hsb požić (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · cy treulio (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · bg разби́рам (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · as হজম কৰা (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ja 消化する (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · la digero (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · bg сми́лам се (to undergo digestion) · ar هَضَمَ (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · as জাহ নিয়া (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · ro mistui (to undergo digestion) · nl verteren (to undergo digestion) · bg сми́лам (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · nl verteren (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · tr tertip etmek (to distribute or arrange methodically) · ja 会得する (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · uk перетра́влювати (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · gl dixerir (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · es digerir (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · tr hazmetmek (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · be перава́рваць (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · mi nakunaku (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · scn arrizzittari (to distribute or arrange methodically) · hu feldolgoz (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · ro a digera (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · uk трави́ти (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · la digero (to undergo digestion) · az mənimsəmək (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · tr tekrak düşünmek (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · sh про̀бављати (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · yi פֿאַרדייען (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · hu megemészt (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · fi luokitella (to distribute or arrange methodically) · bg разбера́ (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · nl overdenken (to think over and arrange methodically in the mind) · ko 소화하다 (to separate food in the alimentary canal) · as জীণ নিয়া (to separate food in the alimentary canal)