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.
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.
Ab`sen*ta"ne*ous (&?;), a. [LL. absentaneus. See absent] Pertaining to absence. [Obs.]
Ab`sen*ta"tion (&?;), n. The act of absenting one's self. Sir W. Hamilton.
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.
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.
Ab*sent"er (&?;), n. One who absents one's self.
Ab"sent*ly (&?;), adv. In an absent or abstracted manner.
Ab*sent"ment (b*snt"ment), n. The state of being absent; withdrawal. [R.] Barrow.
Ab`sent-mind"ed(&?;), a. Absent in mind; abstracted; preoccupied. -- Ab`sent-mind"ed*ness, n. -- Ab`sent-mind"ed*ly, adv.
Ab"sent*ness (&?;), n. The quality of being absent-minded. H. Miller.
Ab"sey-book`(&?;), n. An A-B-C book; a primer. [Obs.] Shak.
{ Ab"sinth`, Ab"sinthe` } (&?;), n. [F. absinthe. See Absinthium.] 1. The plant absinthium or common wormwood.