AWOL
/'eiwɔ:l/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Absent without official permission or leave: Describes a person, especially a soldier or employee, who is absent from their duty or post without having obtained proper authorization.
- Truant, missing: Can describe someone who is absent from a required place, such as school or work, without permission.
Noun:
- A person who is absent without leave: Specifically refers to an individual, often a member of the military, who has left their post or duty without official permission.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The sergeant reported three soldiers as AWOL after morning roll call.
- She was marked AWOL for failing to show up to her shift without calling.
- Noun:
- The base commander ordered a search for the AWOL.
- Two AWOLs were apprehended at the border.
Advanced Usage
- "to go AWOL": This is the most common phrasal verb usage. It means to leave one's duty, post, or responsibilities without permission or notice.
- After the stressful week, he just went AWOL and didn't come to the office for three days.
- The private went AWOL during basic training.
Variants and Related Words
- Absent Without Leave (A.W.O.L.): The full, formal phrase from which the acronym "AWOL" is derived. It is often used in official military or institutional contexts.
- Truant (adj/n): Commonly used in civilian contexts, especially for students absent from school without permission.
- The truant officer looked for students skipping class.
Synonyms
- Unauthorized absence: (n) The state or act of being absent without permission.
- Deserter (n): A more severe term, typically for a soldier who leaves duty with the intent not to return.
- Truant (adj/n): Specifically for students absent from school.
Related Phrases
- Go AWOL: (phrasal verb) To become absent without leave.
- The manager warned that anyone who goes AWOL again will be fired.
- Be declared AWOL: To be officially recorded as being absent without permission.
- If you don't report in, you will be declared AWOL.
Related Idioms
- While not a traditional idiom, "go AWOL" is often used figuratively in informal contexts to describe anything that has disappeared or stopped functioning unexpectedly.
- My motivation seems to have gone AWOL this afternoon.
- The remote control has gone AWOL again—has anyone seen it?
Adjective
- absent without permission
- truant schoolboys
- the soldier was AWOL for almost a week
Noun
- one who is away or absent without leave