absence
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/
ipa: /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩ts/
ipa: /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/
ipa: /ˈæb.sn̩ts/
ipa: /ˈæbsɒns/
note: in the medical sense
ipa: /æbˈsɒns/
note: in the medical sense
rhymes: (in the medical sense) -ɒns
Forms: form: absences
form: abs.
Etymology: From Middle English absence, from Old French absence, ausence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“I am away or absent”), from ab (“from, away from”) + sum (“I am”).
Senses: examples: text: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
glosses: A state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship
examples: text: During Jane's absence, Mark will be taking charge.
text: Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 2:12:
glosses: The period of someone being away.
examples: text: Harry Kane was an absence in that first half. He touched the ball 11 times despite Spurs taking 62% of possession.
ref: 2018 September 15, Barney Ronay, “Finely tuned Liverpool are really getting into Jürgen Klopp’s groove”, in The Guardian:
text: Then, in January, a creeping tsunami of train cancellations, triggered by major staff absences as a result of the aggressive transmissibility of Omicron, heaped further misery on rail users.
ref: 2022 January 12, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Unhappy start to 2022”, in RAIL, number 948, page 3:
glosses: Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency.
examples: text: He had an absence of enthusiasm.
text: in the absence of higher and more authoritative sanctions the ordinances of foreign states, the opinions of eminent statesmen, and the writings of distinguished jurists, are regarded as of great consideration on questions not settled by conventional law
ref: 1826, James Kent, Commentaries on American Law:
text: The narrow streets that twist and turn through the compact heart of Dent are surfaced with cobbles which, in the absence of pavements, spread right across from doorstep to doorstep.
ref: 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 150:
glosses: Lack; deficiency; non-existence.
examples: text: absence of mind
text: Reflecting on the little absences and distractions of mankind.
ref: 1711 June 9 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “TUESDAY, May 29, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 77; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
text: To conquer that abstraction which is called absence.
ref: c. 1824-1829, Walter Landor, Imaginary Conversations:
glosses: Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind).
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Temporary loss or disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy.
topics: fencing
government
hobbies
lifestyle
martial-arts
military
politics
sports
war
glosses: Lack of contact between blades.
Synonyms: missingness
Derived terms: absement
absence makes the heart go yonder
absence makes the heart grow fonder
absence of mind
absence seizure
absence without leave
conspicuous by one's absence
in the absence of
leave of absence
nonabsence
omniabsence
pseudoabsence
Related terms: absent
absentee
absenteeism
absential