/ ˈeɪwɒl; NAmE ˈeɪwɔːl/ abbreviation
absent without leave (used especially in the armed forces when sb has left their group without permission) :
He's gone AWOL from his base.
( humorous )
The guitarist went AWOL in the middle of the recording.
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WORD ORIGIN
1920s: acronym from absent without (official) leave .