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Absence vs Tardy - What's the difference?

absence | tardy |

As nouns the difference between absence and tardy

is that absence is a state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship; the period of being away while tardy is (us) a piece of paper given to students who are late to class.

As an adjective tardy is

late; overdue or delayed.

As a verb tardy is

(obsolete|transitive) to make tardy.

absence

English

Alternative forms

*

Noun

(en-noun)
  • A state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship; the period of being away.
  • * (rfdate) (w) 2:12
    • Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence .
  • Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency.
  • * (rfdate) - Kent
    • In the absence of conventional law.
  • Lack; deficiency; nonexistence.
  • Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind).
  • * (rfdate), (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
    • Reflecting on the little absences and distractions of mankind.
  • * 1824-1829? , (w), (Imaginary Conversations)
    • To conquer that abstraction which is called absence .
  • (medical) Temporary loss or disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy.
  • (fencing) Lack of contact between blades.

    • Derived terms

    * absence makes the heart grow fonder

    Related terms

    * absent * absentee * absenteeism

    Antonyms

    * (state of being away) presence * existence, possession, sufficiency

    References

    ----

    tardy

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Late; overdue or delayed.
    • He yawned, then raised a tardy hand over his mouth.
  • ineffectual; slow-witted, slow to act, or dullard.
    • His tardy performance bordered on incompetence.
  • Moving with a slow pace or motion; not swift.
  • * Sandys
    • Check the tardy flight of time.
  • * Prior
    • tardy to vengeance, and with mercy brave
  • (obsolete) Unwary; unready.
    • (Hudibras)
  • (obsolete) Criminal; guilty.
    • (Collier)

    Synonyms

    * (l), (l)

    Usage notes

    * The term suggests habitual lateness. * Somewhat dated in the United Kingdom.

    Noun

    (tardies)
  • (US) A piece of paper given to students who are late to class.
    • The teacher gave her a tardy because she did not come into the classroom until after the bell.

    See also

    * tardy slip

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To make tardy.
    • (Shakespeare)