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Absent vs Tardy - What's the difference?

absent | tardy |

In obsolete terms the difference between absent and tardy

is that absent is absentee; a person who is away on occasion while tardy is criminal; guilty.

As a preposition absent

is in the absence of; without.

absent

English

Alternative forms

*

Etymology 1

* From (etyl) absent, (etyl) .

Adjective

(er)
  • (not comparable) Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present; missing.
  • * 1623 , (William Shakespeare), All’s Well That Ends Well, II-iii
    • Expecting absent friends.
  • (not comparable) Not existing; lacking.
    • The part was rudimental or absent .
  • (sometimes, comparable) Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied.
  • * 1746-1747 , Chesterfield, Letters to his Son
    • What is commonly called an absent man is commonly either a very weak or a very affected man.
    Antonyms
    * present
    Related terms
    * absence * absentee * absenteeism

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Absentee; a person who is away on occasion.

    • Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (legal) In the absence of; without.
  • * 1919 , State vs. Britt, Supreme Court of Missouri, Division 2, in The Southwestern Reporter , page 427
    • If the accused refuse upon demand to pay money or deliver property (absent any excuse or excusing circumstance) which came into his hands as a bailee, such refusal might well constitute some evidence of conversion, with the requisite fraudulent intent required by the statute.
  • * 2011 , David Elstein, letter, London Review of Books , XXXIII.15:
    • the Princess Caroline case [...] established that – absent a measurable ‘public interest’ in publication – she was safe from being photographed while out shopping.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) absenter, from .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (transitive, now, reflexive) Keep away; stay away; go away.
  • *
    • Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;
  • * 1701-1703 , , "Remarks on Italy"
    • If after due summons any member absents himself, he is to be fined.
  • *
    • This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.
  • (obsolete) Stay away; withdraw.
  • (rare) Leave.

    • Anagrams

    *

    References

    English heteronyms ----

    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)