absent

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   nonexistent

   the thumb is absent

2. 2
   verb

   to go away or leave

   They absented themselves.

3. 3
   adj

   Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; existing but not present; (sometimes) missing.

   Owing to his own illness and then his family's, Ramzi has often been absent from class this month. We will help him catch up with his studies.

4. 4
   adj

   Not existing.

   The body part was rudimentary or absent in 1% of specimens.

5. 5
   adj

   Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied.

   Tom was there, but he seemed absent and withdrawn. Normally he is quite present [= engaged] during a meeting.

6. 6
   noun

   Something absent, especially absent people collectively; those who were or are not there.

   The Applause he met with exceeds all belief of the Absent.

7. 7
   prep

   In the absence of; without; except.

   Absent taxes modern governments cannot function.

8. 8
   verb

   To keep (oneself) away.

   Most of the men are retired, jobless, or have otherwise temporarily absented themselves from the workplace.

Etymology

From Middle English absent, from Middle French absent, from Old French ausent, and their source, Latin absens, present participle of absum (“to be away from”), from ab (“away”) + sum (“to be”).