This is the 14874th most frequent Russian word.
поглощать
"Поглощать" means "to absorb" or "to consume."
Here, 'поглощать' is used to describe the physical process of a material taking in moisture or liquid, in this case, wood absorbing moisture from the air.
Древесина может поглощать много влаги из воздуха.
Wood can absorb a lot of moisture from the air.
In this instance, 'поглощать' (used in its reflexive form 'поглощён') conveys the metaphorical sense of being entirely engrossed or captivated by an activity.
Он был так поглощён чтением книги, что забыл о времени.
He was so absorbed in reading the book that he forgot about the time.
Here, 'поглощать' relates to the biological process of uptake, referring to the body taking in substances necessary for its function.