æbˈsɛnt əb.ˈstɹæk.tɪd əb.ˈstɹæk.tɪd lost in thought; showing preoccupation an absent stare an absentminded professor the scatty glancing quality of a hyperactive but unfocused intelligence lacking sense or discretion his rattlebrained crackpot ideas how rattlepated I am! I've forgotten what I came for