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absent

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Absent is defined as not in attendance or missing.

(adjective)

An example of absent is a student who stays home from school.

The definition of absent is something that does not exist.

(adjective)

An example of absent is the lack of oxygen on the moon.

Absent is someone who is not paying attention.

(adjective)

An example of someone who is absent is a person who is daydreaming.

Absent means taking the action to purposefully stay away or go away, often from a bad or unpleasant situation.

(verb)

An example of absent would be audience members leaving during a bad movie.

See absent in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

not present; away
not existing; lacking
not attentive; absorbed in thought

Origin: ME < OFr < L absens, prp. of abesse < ab-, away + esse, to be: see is

transitive verb

to keep (oneself) away: to absent oneself from classes

in the absence of; lacking: absent her testimony, our case is weak

See absent in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Not present; missing: absent friends; absent parents.
Not existent; lacking: a country in which morality is absent.
Exhibiting or feeling inattentiveness: an absent nod.

transitive verb (ăb-sĕntˈ) ab·sent·ed, ab·sent·ing, ab·sents

To keep (oneself) away: They absented themselves from the debate.

preposition

Without: “Absent a legislative fix, this is an invitation for years of litigation” (Brian E. O'Neill).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin absēns, absent-

Origin: , present participle of abesse, to be away

Origin: : ab-, away; see ab-¹

Origin: + esse, to be; see es- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

abˈsent·ly adverb

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