- [uncountable, countable]
the fact of somebody being away from a place where they are usually expected to be; the occasion or period of time when somebody is away 缺席；不在 - in somebody's absence
The decision was made in my absence (= while I was not there). 这个决定是我不在的时候作出的。 We did not receive any news during his long absence. 我们在他长期离开的时候没有得到一点消息。 - absence from…
absence from work 缺勤 repeated absences from school 一再缺课
Extra ExamplesMy father did all the cooking in my mother's absence. 妈妈不在家时都是爸爸做饭。 Nobody had noticed her absence. 没有人注意到她不在场。 You will not be paid for the full period of absence. 整个缺勤期间你不会有报酬。 Your son has had too many absences from school. 你儿子不上学的次数太多了。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- extended
- lengthy
- long
- …
- period
- have
- notice
- explain
- …
- during somebody’s absence
- in somebody’s absence
- absence from
- …
- conspicuous by your absence
- notable by your absence
- leave of absence
- …
- in somebody's absence
- [uncountable]
the fact of somebody/something not existing or not being available; a lack of something 不存在；缺乏 I was surprised by the absence of any women on the board of directors. 我真没想到董事会中竟然没有女性。 - in the absence of somebody/something
The case was dismissed in the absence of any definite proof. 此案因缺乏确凿证据而不予受理。
Extra ExamplesIn the absence of stone, most houses in the area are built of wood. 由于石料匮乏，这一地区的房子大多数都是用木头建造的。 a conspicuous absence of evidence 证据的明显缺乏
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- complete
- total
- virtual
- …
- in the absence of
opposite presence
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, from Latin absentia, from absens, absent- ‘being absent’, present participle of abesse, from ab- ‘from, away’ + esse ‘to be’.
Idioms
absence makes the heart grow fonder
- (saying)
used to say that when you are away from somebody that you love, you love them even more 不相见，倍思念
conspicuous by your absence