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What is the difference between lack and absent?

lack | absent |

In context|obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between lack and absent

is that lack is {{context|obsolete|lang=en}} a defect or failing; moral or spiritual degeneracy while absent is {{context|obsolete|lang=en}} absentee; a person who is away on occasion {{defdate|attested from around 1350 to 1470 until the early 19th century}}.

As nouns the difference between lack and absent

is that lack is {{context|obsolete|lang=en}} a defect or failing; moral or spiritual degeneracy while absent is {{context|obsolete|lang=en}} absentee; a person who is away on occasion {{defdate|attested from around 1350 to 1470 until the early 19th century}}.

As verbs the difference between lack and absent

is that lack is {{context|transitive|lang=en}} to be without, to need, to require while absent is {{context|transitive|nowadays|reflexive|lang=en}} keep away; stay away; go away {{defdate|first attested around 1350 to 1470}}.

As a adjective absent is

{{context|not comparable|lang=en}} being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present; missing {{defdate|first attested around 1350 to 1470}}{{reference-book | last =| first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | editor =brown, lesley | others = | title = the shorter oxford english dictionary | origdate = | origyear = 1933| origmonth = | url = | format = | accessdate = | accessyear = | accessmonth = | edition = 5th | date = | year =2003| month = | publisher =oxford university press | location =oxford, uk | language = | id = | doi = | isbn =978-0-19-860575-7 | lccn = | ol = | pages =8| chapter = | chapterurl = | quote =}}.

As a preposition absent is

{{context|legal|lang=en}} in the absence of; without {{defdate|first attested in the mid 20th century}}.

lack

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A defect or failing; moral or spiritual degeneracy.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.}}
  • A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Let his lack of years be no impediment.
  • * 1994 , (Green Day),
  • I went to a shrink, to analyze my dreams. He said it's lack of sex that's bringing me down.''
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=September 7, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Moldova 0-5 England , passage=If Moldova harboured even the slightest hopes of pulling off a comeback that would have bordered on miraculous given their lack of quality, they were snuffed out 13 minutes before the break when Oxlade-Chamberlain picked his way through midfield before releasing Defoe for a finish that should have been dealt with more convincingly by Namasco at his near post.}}

    Antonyms

    * glut * surplus

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be without, to need, to require.
  • My life lacks excitement.
  • To be short (of'' or ''for something).
  • He'll never lack for company while he's got all that money.
  • * Shakespeare
  • What hour now? I think it lacks of twelve.
  • To be in want.
  • * Bible, Psalms xxxiv. 10
  • The young lions do lack , and suffer hunger.

    Anagrams

    * ----

    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

    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 ----