Absence - Definition

n 1: the state of being absent; "he was surprised by the absence
of any explanation" [ant: presence]
2: failure to be present [ant: presence]
3: the time interval during which something or somebody is away;
"he visited during my absence"
4: the occurrence of an abrupt, transient loss or impairment of
consciousness (which is not subsequently remembered),
sometimes with light twitching, fluttering eyelids, etc.;
common in petit mal epilepsy [syn: absence, absence
seizure]