digest
di·gest (dī′jest′; for v. di jest′, dī-)
noun
- a condensed but comprehensive account of a body of information; summary or synopsis, as of scientific, legal, or literary material
- a book, periodical, etc. consisting chiefly of such summaries or synopses or of articles condensed from other publications
- Rom. Law the Pandects of the Emperor Justinian
Etymology: ME < L digesta (in LL, a collection of writings), orig. pl. of digestus, pp. of digerere, to separate, explain < di-, apart + gerere, to bear, carry
transitive verb
- to arrange or classify systematically, usually in condensed form
- to condense (a piece of writing) by briefly summarizing its contents
- to change (food), esp. in the mouth, stomach, and intestines by the action of gastric and intestinal juices, enzymes, and bacteria, into a form that can be absorbed by the body
- to aid the digestion of (food)
- to think over and absorb
- to soften, disintegrate, etc. by the use of heat, usually together with water or other liquid
Etymology: ME digesten < L digestus: see digestthe
intransitive verb
- to be digested
- to digest food
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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