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Entry 5 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Absent

/ăb'sənt/ · Ab·sent · IPA /ˈæb.sn̩t/
01 a. Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present.
  1. 1.
    Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present.
  2. 2.
    Not existing; lacking; as, the part was rudimental or absent.
  3. 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 lack 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.
02 v. t. To take or withdraw (one's self) to such a distance as to prevent intercourse; -- used with the reflexive pronoun.
imp. & p. p. Absented; p. pr. & vb. n. Absenting
  1. 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. 2.
    To withhold from being present.[Obs.]