Learn English – Verb for “study hard”

single-word-requestsverbs

How can the process of studying something intensively be described in one word?

The closest I can think of is cramming, but that has connotations of not actually caring about the subject in question, trying to do the least sufficient amount of work. Even though most people indeed tend to study hard in this fashion, it is also possible to be deeply interested in the subject, striving to understand and internalize all the details.

Example:

The amount of knowledge that had become available to him was astounding, and he spent almost all of his free time [studying hard] in the university library.

Best Answer

A term that common for learning a new language, but could be used for any field of study, is immerse:

he immersed himself in [or into] his studies

or

he immersed himself in the library books

Oxford Dictionaries:

    ("immerse oneself" or "be immersed") Involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest.
    ‘she immersed herself in her work’
    ‘she was still immersed in her thoughts’
American Heritage Dictionary:
    To engage wholly or deeply; absorb: scholars who immerse themselves in their subjects.
Collins English Dictionary:
  • If you immerse yourself in something that you are doing, you become completely involved in it.
    Since then I've lived alone and immersed myself in my career.
    He's really becoming immersed in his work.
  • to involve deeply; engross
    to immerse oneself in a problem
Macmillan Dictionary – immerse yourself in something:
    to spend most of your time doing something or thinking about it
    Sandra immersed herself in work to try and forget her problems at home.

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