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# absence

noun (absence; an absence, absences)

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

## Everyday

1. Absence is being away from a place, like school or work, when you should be there. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#m1)
2. An absence is a time when someone is away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#m2)
3. Absence of something means it is not there or there is none of it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#m3)

### In the lessons

In school, absences are recorded in the register; too many absences are a problem, and parents write a note to explain. In science, «in the absence of light» plants cannot make food. In maths attendance problems, present = total − absent. Phrases: in the absence of, absence from school, a long absence, leave of absence.

### Examples

- She had three absences from school this term. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x1)
- Your absence was noticed at the meeting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x2)
- In the absence of light, plants cannot make food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x3)
- After a long absence, the swallows returned. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x4)
- There were 28 pupils and 3 absences, so 25 were present. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x5)
- The absence of rain made the grass turn brown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x6)
- The teacher marked his absence in the register. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x7)
- In his absence things are usually quiet on the island. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/absence/#x8)

### Note

Countable (an absence, absences) and uncountable. The adjective is «absent»; the opposite is «presence». Spelling trap: «absence» with -ence (not -ance or -sense). «Absence makes the heart grow fonder» is a saying meaning you miss people when they are away.

## In Jewish tradition

In school, absences are recorded in the register; too many absences are a problem, and parents write a note to explain. In science, «in the absence of light» plants cannot make food. In maths attendance problems, present = total − absent. Phrases: in the absence of, absence from school, a long absence, leave of absence.

### Examples

- C. to denote the absence of degrees, minutes, or seconds in their sexagesi- mal notation. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/absence/#x1)
- As the - indicates the absence of a vowel letter, and is similar in its nature to the zero, which indicates the absence of a digit, it is possible that the " originated from the zero. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/absence/#x2)

### Note

Countable (an absence, absences) and uncountable. The adjective is «absent»; the opposite is «presence». Spelling trap: «absence» with -ence (not -ance or -sense). «Absence makes the heart grow fonder» is a saying meaning you miss people when they are away.

## On Mova

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