Absent to Abstain
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 Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present.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. 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.
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.
Absentaneous
(Ab`sen*ta"ne*ous) a. [LL. absentaneus. See absent] Pertaining to absence. [Obs.]
Absentation
(Ab`sen*ta"tion) n. The act of absenting one's self. Sir W. Hamilton.
Absentee
(Ab`sen*tee") n. One who absents himself from his country, office, post, or duty; especially,
a landholder who lives in another country or district than that where his estate is situated; as, an Irish
absentee. Macaulay.
Absenteeism
(Ab`sen*tee"ism) n. The state or practice of an absentee; esp. the practice of absenting
one's self from the country or district where one's estate is situated.
Absenter
(Ab*sent"er) n. One who absents one's self.
Absently
(Ab"sent*ly) adv. In an absent or abstracted manner.
Absentment
(Ab*sent"ment) n. The state of being absent; withdrawal. [R.] Barrow.
Absent-minded
(Ab`sent-mind"ed) a. Absent in mind; abstracted; preoccupied. — Ab`sent-mind"ed*ness,
n. — Ab`sent-mind"ed*ly, adv.
Absentness
(Ab"sent*ness) n. The quality of being absent-minded. H. Miller.
Absey-book
(Ab"sey-book`) n. An A-B-C book; a primer. [Obs.] Shak.
Absinth
(Ab"sinth`, Ab"sinthe`) n. [F. absinthe. See Absinthium.]
1. The plant absinthium or common wormwood.
2. A strong spirituous liqueur made from wormwood and brandy or alcohol.
