immerse
She immersed herself in the book for hours.
She became completely absorbed in reading the book.
to involve someone deeply in an activity or interest
The students immersed themselves in the local culture during their study abroad program.
The students fully engaged with the local culture.
He immersed himself in his work to forget his troubles.
He focused intensely on his work to distract himself.
Often used with 'in' to indicate the activity or interest.
to submerge or cover completely in a liquid
The scientist immersed the sample in liquid nitrogen.
The scientist placed the sample fully into liquid nitrogen.
Less common than the figurative meaning in modern usage.
Collocations
Pro Tip
Common Prepositions
Always use 'in' after 'immerse' when referring to activities or interests (e.g., 'immerse in work'). For liquids, 'in' or 'into' can be used (e.g., 'immerse in water' or 'immerse into water').
Gold Rule
Figurative vs. Literal
Distinguish between the figurative meaning (deep involvement) and literal meaning (submersion in liquid). Context usually makes the meaning clear.
Word Origin
From Latin 'immersus', past participle of 'immergere' (to dip into), from 'in-' (into) + 'mergere' (to dip).
Usage Notes
Primarily used figuratively in modern English to describe deep mental or emotional involvement. The literal meaning (to submerge in liquid) is less common but still valid.