Digest Meaning
/daɪˈd͡ʒɛst/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application.
verbTo 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.
Sentence Examples
Wine helps digest food.
Cheese doesn't digest easily.
Read the poem several times and digest it.
CEFR Practice Quiz
It is difficult to ____ such a large amount of data quickly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Wine helps ____ food.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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]:
"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:
"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]:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
It is difficult to ____ such a large amount of data quickly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Wine helps ____ food.