abscond

present singular third person absconds · participle present absconding · participle past absconded · past absconded

1. intransitiveTo flee, often secretly; to steal away.First known use mid 16th century.

   The thieves absconded with our property.

   4 more examples

   […] that very homesickness which, in regular armies, drives so many recruits to abscond at the risk of stripes and of death.

   1848, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 13, in The History of England

   Spring beckons! All things to the call respond; / The trees are leaving and cashiers abscond.

   1911, Ambrose Bierce, “abscond”, in The Devil’s Dictionary, New York, N.Y.; Washington, D.C.: The Neale Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 15

   The driver had absconded, but both railway and county police were searching for him. Mitchell was arrested in Carlisle on June 9, 1863.

   1950 January, David L. Smith, “A Runaway at Beattock”, in Railway Magazine, page 55

   You abscond the fuck outta there and find a place to hide.

   2011,, Kazerad, ==>, in: Prequel -or- Making A Cat Cry: The Adventure (webcomic), March 14 2011

   Synonyms: flee, run away, steal away

   1. intransitivelawTo hide, conceal, or absent oneself clandestinely, with the intent to avoid legal process

      Modern technology accompanies the absconding of the original attitude.

      2006, Richard Rojcewicz, The Gods And Technology: A Reading Of Heidegger, →ISBN

      5 more examples

      I've often speculated why you don't return to America. Did you abscond with the church funds? Run off with a senator's wife? I like to think you killed a man. It's the Romantic in me.

      1942, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch, Casablanca, spoken by Captain Renault (Claude Rains)

      Andy did break his bargain, lurked in the neighborhood a few days, and then, being pursued by the sheriff, absconded to parts unknown.

      1969, John Niven, Years of Turmoil: Civil War and Reconstruction, page 229

      A printed leaflet of the Anushilan was dropped here, and at another place a manuscript of swadeshi songs, which has been proved to belong to Lal Mohan De, another member of the Samiti, who lived in Pulin's akhara and is now absconding.

      1995, Amiya K. Samanta, Terrorism in Bengal: Origin, growth and activities of the organizations like […] , page 748

      Moirangthem Kalachand Singh, City Inspector, Imphal P.W. 14 searched the house of one Chaoba Singh in village Khagempali in the hope of arresting Boro Singh and Mohendra Singh accused, who were absconding in […]

      1998, N. Lokendra, The Unquiet Valley: Society, Economy, and Politics of Manipur (1891-1050), page 253

      You cannot abscond from the responsibility both you and your partner owe to this event, and that includes dealing with anger issues and any other emotional issues that come with it.

      2009, Sonia Brill, Relationships Without Anger, →ISBN

      Synonyms: flee, run away, steal away, jump bail

   2. intransitiveTo abandon a hive.

      [European honey bees] raise large colonies, hoard large quantities of honey, are more gentle than other species and almost never abscond.

      2003, Randy Carl Lynn, Raising Healthy Honey Bees, Christian Veterinary Mission, page 10

      Synonyms: flee, run away, steal away

2. intransitiveTo hide, to be in hiding or concealment.

   the Marmotto, […] which absconds all Winter doth […] live upon its own Fat.

   1691-1735, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation

3. transitiveuncommonTo evade, to hide or flee from.

   The captain absconded his responsibility.

   4 more examples

   If the distress situation is solved successfully, the anonymous shipowner will reap the commercial benefit, if the situation ends in disaster, the shipowner will hide behind an anonymous post box in a foreign country and will abscond responsibility.

   2006, Aldo E. Chircop, Olof Lindén, Places of Refuge for Ships, →ISBN

   The driver snatched a packet of cigarettes out of the glove compartment and absconded the driver's seat without a word

   2008, Somar, The Mystical Harvest, page 431

   Those who evidently did not get invited back to their top choices have already absconded the scene, tripping in their high heels as they ran.

   2007, Vendela Vida, Girls on the Verge: Debutante Dips, Drive-bys, and Other Initiations, page 29

   In 1939 she absconded her bail in Melbourne and went to New Zealand, where she also absconded on a charge of stealing diamonds.

   2011, James Morton, Susanna Lobez, Gangland Melbourne, page 47

4. obsoletetransitiveTo conceal; to take away.First known use First attested in the late 16ᵗʰ century.

   They examined every prisoner by himself (who were in all about two hundred and fifty persons) where they had absconded the rest of their goods

   1684, John Esquemeling, Henry Powell, The Buccaneers of America, published 2010, page 161

   1 more example

   for having applied to the Side of the Head any thin black Body, such as the Brim of a Hat, so as it may abscond the Objects that are upon that Side

   1759, William Porterfield, edited by G. Hamilton and John Balfour, treatise on the eye, the manner and phaenomena of vision, volume 2

   Synonyms: conceal