to convert (food) in the alimentary canal into absorbable form for assimilation into the system.
to promote the digestion of (food).
to obtain information, ideas, or principles from; assimilate mentally.
to digest a pamphlet on nuclear waste.
to arrange methodically in the mind; think over.
to digest a plan.
to bear with patience; endure.
to arrange in convenient or methodical order; reduce to a system; classify.
to condense, abridge, or summarize.
Chemistry. to soften or disintegrate (a substance) by means of moisture, heat, chemical action, or the like.
to digest food.
to undergo digestion, as food.
a collection or compendium, usually of literary, historical, legal, or scientific matter, especially when classified or condensed.
Law.
a systematic abstract of some body of law.
the Digest, a collection in fifty books of excerpts, especially from the writings of the Classical Roman jurists, compiled by order of Justinian in the 6th century a.d.; the Pandects.
Biochemistry. the product of the action of an enzyme on food or other organic material.
to subject (food) to a process of digestion
(tr) to assimilate mentally
chem to soften or disintegrate or be softened or disintegrated by the action of heat, moisture, or chemicals; decompose
(tr) to arrange in a methodical or systematic order; classify
(tr) to reduce to a summary
archaic (tr) to tolerate
a comprehensive and systematic compilation of information or material, often condensed
a magazine, periodical, etc, that summarizes news of current events
a compilation of rules of law based on decided cases
What does inventory mean? An inventory is a complete list of all merchandise or stock of items owned by or available from a business. At a store, an inventory is the complete list of all items for sale at the store. At a manufacturer, an inventory is a complete list of all the raw materials they have, as well as finished items and items being created. An inventory is also the specific set of products to sell, as in The store’s inventory of superhero capes is running low and will probably sell out soon. An inventory can also refer to figurative belongings, such as a person’s personality traits and skills. To inventory means to add things to an inventory list, whether a literal or figurative list, as in I inventoried my options for colleges and chose the school I’ll attend next year. Example: Can you take inventory tonight so we can be ready for the rush tomorrow?
See summary.
First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English digesten, from Latin dīgestus “separated, dissolved” (past participle of dīgerere ), equivalent to dī- di- 2 + ges- “carry, bear” (base of gerere ) + -tus past participle suffix; (noun) Middle English: “collection of laws,” from Late Latin dīgesta (plural), Latin: “collection of writings,” neuter plural of dīgestus, as above
When your stomach breaks down food, it digests it. To digest is to process food so it can be absorbed into the body or information so the mind can absorb it. If you tell your mother some bad news, like say, that you failed your math test after studying so hard, she might say, "Let me take a moment to digest that information." She's not going to swallow the paper and let her stomach do the work. Instead, she's going to take a moment to sit with the news and understand it. As a noun, a digest is a magazine that breaks down information into understandable summaries.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sometimes, investors have to digest some odd news.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
"It's really hard to digest because I don't think it was an intentional and violent conduct. It was a duel in the air and with a tall striker," added Le Bris.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
I lost my mom not that many years ago, and it’s hard to digest how the most destructive and emotionally devastating things are also absolutely assured and commonplace.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Proponents of regular media appearances by the Fed chair say they allow the central bank to shape the narrative around its interest-rate moves and can help markets digest the Fed’s policies.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026
“There are bacteria in your stomach that help digest food. During the process, gas is released,” he explains.
From "The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
