# digest

/ˈdaɪdʒɛst/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/digest
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to process food

verb · CEFR B1

to break down food in your stomach so your body can use it.

For teachers: to break down food in the alimentary canal into substances that can be absorbed and used by the body.

- It takes a few hours for your body to digest a heavy meal.
- The human body requires specific enzymes to efficiently digest complex proteins and convert them into usable amino acids.

Usage: Often used as a transitive verb taking a food item as the object.

### 2. to understand information

verb · CEFR B2

to think about new information carefully so that you fully understand it.

For teachers: to assimilate or mentally process information, typically requiring time for full comprehension.

- I need some time to digest all the facts before I make a decision.
- The board members asked for a week to digest the lengthy proposal before reconvening for a final vote.

### 3. chemical processing

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to heat something slowly in a liquid for a chemical process.

For teachers: to treat a substance with heat, enzymes, or a solvent to promote decomposition or extract essential components.

- The lab technician had to digest the sample in acid before testing it.
- The protocol requires the researcher to digest the organic matter in a concentrated solution for twelve hours to ensure complete breakdown.

### 4. a summary

noun · CEFR B2

a short piece of writing that gives the most important information from a longer book or report.

For teachers: a compilation or summary of material, such as laws, news, or articles, arranged systematically for quick reference.

- The weekly news digest helps me stay informed without reading every newspaper.
- The legal firm published a monthly digest of recent court rulings to keep its clients updated on changes in property law.

### 5. computing hash

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a short code created by a computer to represent a larger file.

For teachers: a fixed-length value generated by a hash function to represent a message or data set, used for security and verification.

- The system compares the message digest to ensure the file was not changed.
- Cryptographic protocols use a message digest to verify the integrity of data transmitted over insecure networks.

## Examples

- I read a weekly digest of the latest technology news.
- The legal department issued a monthly digest of recent court rulings to keep the staff updated on new precedents.
- Scholars often rely on a comprehensive digest of historical documents when the original archives are too vast to examine in their entirety within a single semester.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.