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# abscond

verb (abscond, absconds, absconded, absconding)

«abscond» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal) To abscond means to leave secretly and suddenly, especially to escape from somewhere or to avoid being caught. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#m1)
2. To abscond with something means to run away with money or things that are not yours. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#m2)

### In the lessons

In news and police reports, prisoners or thieves abscond; a treasurer may abscond with club funds. In stories, it is a dramatic, formal word for running off. In everyday talk, children say «run off» or «do a runner» (UK informal). Phrases: «abscond with», «abscond from».

### Examples

- The thief absconded with the cash box. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#x1)
- Two prisoners absconded from the open prison. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#x2)
- The club treasurer absconded with all the money. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#x3)
- (jokey) Our dog absconded with the Sunday roast. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#x4)
- The man absconded before the police arrived. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#x5)
- The puppy absconded with my sock. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/#x6)

### Note

Regular verb: absconded. Formal and serious; often used jokingly about pets and small thefts. Say «ab-SKOND».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «abscond» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/abscond/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«abscond» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/abscond.html) on Mova free.