Absent
not in a certain place at a given time; away, missing (opposed to ):
absent from class.
lacking; nonexistent:
Revenge is absent from his mind.
not attentive; preoccupied; absent-minded:
an absent look on his face.
to take or keep (oneself) away:
to absent oneself from a meeting.
in the of; without:
Absent some catastrophe, stock-market prices should soon improve.
Contemporary Examples
After four months, however, a sense of urgency seems to be absent.
Where’s the Retaliation for American Deaths in Benghazi and Algeria? John Avlon January 23, 2013
The prime minister is absent, away on his African visit, while calls for his head rain down.
Murdoch Scandal’s Trollopian Turn Abby Wolf July 18, 2011
absent a complete ban, or total irrationality, judges should simply step off the seesaw.
Hands Off Those Gun Laws, Judges Eric Segall May 31, 2014
But, absent Hillary, no way 72% of any group would consider such an outcome likely in the very next election.
Is America Ready for a Female President—or Just President Hillary? Michelle Cottle May 1, 2013
Yet without money, without access, and without readership, that history McMillan seems intent on making will be absent.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source Magazine Alex Suskind October 13, 2014
Historical Examples
Her words were the result of an impetuous defense of the absent man.
The Golden Woman Ridgwell Cullum
When absent for a week, I knew to a few minutes when we should meet again.
Explorations in Australia John Forrest
But all the musical, ocular, and facial beauties are absent from writing.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 83, September, 1864 Various
They had heard the firing of the night and were disappointed at having been absent.
The Story of the Malakand Field Force Sir Winston S. Churchill
They then began to talk of the absent one as had been their wont in the Dairi.
The Usurper Judith Gautier
adjective (ˈæbsənt)
away or not present
lacking; missing
inattentive; absent-minded
verb (æbˈsɛnt)
(transitive) to remove (oneself) or keep away
adj.
late 14c., from Middle French absent (Old French ausent), from Latin absentem (nominative absens), present participle of abesse “be away from, be absent” (see absence). Related: Absently; absentness.
v.
“to keep away” (from), c.1400, from Middle French absenter, from Late Latin absentare “cause to be away,” from Latin absentem (see absent (adj.)). Related: Absented; absenting.
prep.
“in the absence of,” 1944, principally from U.S. legal use, from absent (v.).
Read Also:
- Absent-minded
so lost in thought that one does not realize what one is doing, what is happening, etc.; preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. Contemporary Examples The boy genius Geithner turned into an absent-minded professor when he filled in his tax returns. Obama’s Strange Obsession Tina Brown February 8, 2009 A […]
- Absent without leave
. Historical Examples The one is under arrest for drunkenness, and the other has been “absent without leave.” Diary of an Enlisted Man Lawrence Van Alstyne “She has no business to be absent without leave,” said Sabina. A Rock in the Baltic Robert Barr The Sergeant came back, looking woe-begone, and Lawrence was published on […]
- Absent-mindedly
so lost in thought that one does not realize what one is doing, what is happening, etc.; preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. Contemporary Examples He had his right hand to his face and was absent-mindedly rubbing the scar on his left cheekbone. Gordie Howe Hockey’s Greatest War Horse W.C. […]
- Absented
not in a certain place at a given time; away, missing (opposed to ): absent from class. lacking; nonexistent: Revenge is absent from his mind. not attentive; preoccupied; absent-minded: an absent look on his face. to take or keep (oneself) away: to absent oneself from a meeting. in the of; without: Absent some catastrophe, stock-market […]
- Absente reo
in the absence of the defendant. Abbreviation: abs. re. uknown (law) in the absence of the defendant