noun
1 fact of not being present
ADJECTIVE
▪ extended , lengthy , long , prolonged
▪ brief , temporary
▪ frequent
▪ excused ( AmE )
▪ unauthorized , unexplained
… OF ABSENCE
▪ period
▪
You will not be paid for the full period of ~.
VERB + ABSENCE
▪ have
▪
Your son has had too many ~s from school.
▪ notice
▪
Nobody had noticed her ~.
▪ explain
PREPOSITION
▪ during sb's ~ , in sb's ~ (= while sb is not there)
▪
My father did all the cooking in my mother's ~.
▪ ~ from
▪
~ from work
PHRASES
▪ conspicuous by your ~ , notable by your ~ ( esp. BrE )
▪
When it came to clearing up after the party, Anne was conspicuous by her ~ ( = very obviously absent when she should have been present ).
▪ leave of ~ (= permission to be absent)
▪
He asked for leave of ~ from his job.
2 lack
ADJECTIVE
▪ complete , total
▪ virtual
▪ conspicuous , notable
▪
a conspicuous ~ of evidence
PREPOSITION
▪ in the ~ of
▪
In the ~ of stone, most houses in the area are built of wood.