absent-minded

absent-minded
adj. habitually forgetful or inattentive; with one's mind on other things.
Derivatives:
absent-mindedly adv. absent-mindedness n.

* * *

/ab"seuhnt muyn"did/, adj.
so lost in thought that one does not realize what one is doing, what is happening, etc.; preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one's immediate surroundings.
[1850-55]
Syn. withdrawn, musing, daydreaming, dreamy, forgetful, distracted. ABSENT-MINDED, ABSTRACTED, OBLIVIOUS all mean inattentive to immediate surroundings. ABSENT-MINDED suggests an unintentional wandering of the mind from the present: an absent-minded committee member. ABSTRACTED implies that the mind has been drawn away from the immediate present by reflection upon some engrossing subject: an abstracted air. OBLIVIOUS implies absorption in some thought that causes one to be completely forgetful of or unaware of one's surroundings: oblivious of danger.
Ant. attentive, alert, heedful, observant.

* * *

absent-mindˈed adjective
1. Inattentive to surroundings
2. Preoccupied
• • •
Main Entry: ↑absent

* * *

absent-minded UK US adjective
likely to forget things or to think about something different from what you should be thinking about

I’m getting more absent-minded as I get older.

Thesaurus: forgetful and forgetfulnesssynonym not paying attentionsynonym

* * *

ˌabsent-ˈminded [absent-minded absent-mindedly absent-mindedness] adjective
tending to forget things, perhaps because you are not thinking about what is around you, but about sth else
Syn: ↑forgetful

•

Grandpa's becoming quite absent-minded.

Derived Words: ↑absent-mindedly ▪ ↑absent-mindedness  
Example Bank:

•

an absent-minded professor/scientist


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?
Synonyms:
,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • absent-minded — absent mindedly, adv. absent mindedness, n. /ab seuhnt muyn did/, adj. so lost in thought that one does not realize what one is doing, what is happening, etc.; preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one s immediate surroundings. Also,… …   Universalium

  • absent-minded — or absentminded [ab′sənt mīn′did, ab′səntmīn΄did] adj. 1. so dreamy or lost in thought as not to pay attention to what one is doing or what is going on around one 2. habitually forgetful absent mindedly adv. absent mindedness n. SYN. ABSENT… …   English World dictionary

  • absent-minded — adj likely to forget things, especially because you are thinking about something else = ↑forgetful ▪ Grandad s been getting rather absent minded lately. >absent mindedly adv >absent mindedness n [U] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • absent-minded — adjective likely to forget things or to think about something different from what you should be thinking about: FORGETFUL: I m getting more absent minded as I get older. ╾ ,absent mindedly adverb ╾ ,absent mindedness noun uncount …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • absent-minded — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ inattentive or forgetful. DERIVATIVES absent mindedly adverb absent mindedness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Absent-minded — Ab sent mind ed, a. Absent in mind; abstracted; preoccupied. {Ab sent mind ed*ness}, n. {Ab sent mind ed*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • absent-minded — [adj] unaware of events, surroundings absent, absorbed, abstracted, airheaded*, bemused, daydreaming, distracted, distrait, dreaming, dreamy, engrossed, faraway, forgetful, goofing off*, heedless, inattentive, inconscient, lost, mooning*, moony* …   New thesaurus

  • absent-minded — index perfunctory, thoughtless Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • absent-minded — also absentminded ADJ GRADED Someone who is absent minded forgets things or does not pay attention to what they are doing, often because they are thinking about something else. In his later life he became even more absent minded. Syn: forgetful… …   English dictionary

  • absent-minded — I (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. abstracted, preoccupied, lost in thought, forgetful, distracted, dreamy, inattentive, lost, unmindful, absent, unheeding, heedless, oblivious, distrait, daydreaming, napping, unconscious, unaware, inadvertent, withdrawn …   English dictionary for students

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”