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absent

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absent

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Absent  \Ab"sent\,  a.  [F.,  fr  absens,  absentis  p.  pr  of  abesse 
  to  be  away  from  ab  +  esse  to  be  Cf  {Sooth}.] 
  1.  Being  away  from  a  place  withdrawn  from  a  place  not 
  present.  ``Expecting  absent  friends.''  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Not  existing;  lacking;  as  the  part  was  rudimental  or 
  absent. 
 
  3.  Inattentive  to  what  is  passing;  absent-minded; 
  preoccupied;  as  an  absent  air. 
 
  What  is  commonly  called  an  absent  man  is  commonly 
  either  a  very  weak  or  a  very  affected  man. 
  --Chesterfield. 
 
  Syn:  {Absent},  {Abstracted}. 
 
  Usage:  These  words  both  imply  a  want  of  attention  to 
  surrounding  objects.  We  speak  of  a  man  as  absent  when 
  his  thoughts  wander  unconsciously  from  present  scenes 
  or  topics  of  discourse;  we  speak  of  him  as  abstracted 
  when  his  mind  (usually  for  a  brief  period)  is  drawn 
  off  from  present  things  by  some  weighty  matter  for 
  reflection.  Absence  of  mind  is  usually  the  result  of 
  loose  habits  of  thought;  abstraction  commonly  arises 
  either  from  engrossing  interests  and  cares  or  from 
  unfortunate  habits  of  association. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Absent  \Ab*sent"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Absented};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Absenting}.]  [Cf.  F.  absenter.] 
  1.  To  take  or  withdraw  (one's  self)  to  such  a  distance  as  to 
  prevent  intercourse;  --  used  with  the  reflexive  pronoun. 
 
  If  after  due  summons  any  member  absents  himself,  he 
  is  to  be  fined.  --Addison. 
 
  2.  To  withhold  from  being  present.  [Obs.]  ``Go;  for  thy  stay, 
  not  free  absents  thee  more.''  --Milton. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  absent 
  adj  1:  not  in  a  specified  place  physically  or  mentally  [ant:  {present}] 
  2:  lost  in  thought;  showing  preoccupation;  "an  absent  stare"; 
  "an  absentminded  professer";  "the  scatty  glancing  quality 
  of  a  hyperactive  but  unfocused  intelligence"  [syn:  {absentminded}, 
  {abstracted},  {scatty}] 
  v  :  go  away  or  leave  "He  absented  himself"  [syn:  {remove}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  ABSENT,  adj  Peculiarly  exposed  to  the  tooth  of  detraction;  vilifed 
  hopelessly  in  the  wrong  superseded  in  the  consideration  and  affection 
  of  another. 
 
  To  men  a  man  is  but  a  mind.  Who  cares 
  What  face  he  carries  or  what  form  he  wears? 
  But  woman's  body  is  the  woman.  O, 
  Stay  thou,  my  sweetheart,  and  do  never  go 
  But  heed  the  warning  words  the  sage  hath  said: 
  A  woman  absent  is  a  woman  dead. 
  Jogo  Tyree




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