Absences meaning : A state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship; the period of being away. Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency. Lack; deficiency; nonexistence. Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind). Temporary loss or disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy. Lack of contact between blades.