absence
noun uk/ˈæb.səns/ us/ˈæb.səns/
(NOT BEING PRESENT)
B2 [ U or C ]缺席；缺勤；不在场
the fact of not being where you are usually expected to be
A new manager was appointed during/in her absence. 她不在的时候任命了一位新经理。
She has had repeated absences from work this year. 今年她屡次旷工。
- More examples
- The smell of cigarette smoke confirmed what he had suspected: there had been a party in his absence.
- I'm deputizing for the director during his absence.
- Unbeknown to me, he'd gone and rented out the apartment in my absence.
- Can you account for your absence last Friday?
- A new manager was appointed during/in her absence.
(NOT EXISTING)
B2 [ U ]不存在；缺乏
the fact of not existing
He drew attention to the absence of concrete evidence against the defendant. 他使大家注意到，可以证明被告有罪的确凿证据并不存在。
In the absence of (= because there were not) more suitable candidates, we decided to offer the job to Mr Conway. 由于没有更为合适的人选，我们决定任命康韦先生。
- More examples
- In the absence of anything better the settee would serve as a bed for a couple of nights.
- In our search for evidence, we were stymied by the absence of any recent documents.
- They complained about the absence of vegetarian food on the menu.
- In the absence of a strong government, the country soon fell into chaos.
- In the absence of a television, the children were forced to find other things to keep them amused.
Idiom
absence makes the heart grow fonderidiom saying 不相见，倍思念。
This means that when people we love are not with us, we love them even more.