WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

soak up
    v 1: take in, also metaphorically; "The sponge absorbs water
         well"; "She drew strength from the minister's words" [syn:
         absorb, suck, imbibe, soak up, sop up, suck up,
         draw, take in, take up]
    2: devote (oneself) fully to; "He immersed himself into his
       studies" [syn: steep, immerse, engulf, plunge,
       engross, absorb, soak up]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

64 Moby Thesaurus words for "soak up":
   absorb, adsorb, air-dry, anhydrate, assimilate, bake, blot,
   blot up, brush, burn, chemisorb, chemosorb, cure, dehumidify,
   dehydrate, desiccate, digest, drain, drink, drink in, drink up,
   dry, engross, evaporate, exsiccate, filter in, fire, imbibe,
   infiltrate, ingest, insolate, kiln, lap, lap up, lick, mummify,
   osmose, parch, percolate in, rub, scorch, sear, seep in, shrivel,
   slurp, slurp up, smoke, soak in, sorb, sponge, sponge up, sun,
   sun-dry, swab, swill up, take in, take up, thirst, torrefy, towel,
   weazen, wipe, wither, wizen