From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsoak something ↔ up phrasal verb1 TAKE something FROM SOMEWHEREif something soaks up a liquid, it takes the liquid into itself He used a towel to soak up the blood.2 soak up the sun/rays/sunshine etcDNDLO to sit outside for a long time enjoying the sun3 to enjoy a place by watching it or becoming involved in it Go to a sidewalk café, order coffee, and soak up the atmosphere.4 LEARNto learn something quickly and easily Children soak up language incredibly quickly. → soak→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
soak up• Just kind of soak it up.• I soaked it ill up, even the abuse.• Benny soaked it all up for Eve.soak up the sun/rays/sunshine etc• But everyone enjoyed the opportunity to relax, socialise and soak up the sun.• Elena Fonti lay on the beach soaking up the sun.• Others will take it easier, relax in the garden and soak up the sun.• She had lain with Maggie beside the swimming pool and had let her whole body soak up the sun.• The perfect setting for relaxing and soaking up the sun.• As well as soaking up the sun, Emma says she's particularly looking forward to scuba diving and swimming in Stingray City.• Without it, the green machinery that soaks up the sun's energy is starved.• Where fishermen once set out to sea, now travellers stop to soak up the sun which bakes the sandy shores.soak up the atmosphere• I was just soaking up the atmosphere.• So we ordered another Guinness and soaked up the atmosphere some more. 