ˈæbsəlu:t adj. & n. --adj. 1
complete, utter,
perfect (an absolute fool; absolute bliss). 2
unconditional,
unlimited (absolute authority). 3 despotic;
ruling arbitrarily or
with unrestricted power (an absolute monarch). 4 (of a
standard or
other concept) universally
valid;
not admitting exceptions; not
relative or
comparative. 5 Gram. a (of a construction) syntactically
independent of
the rest of the
sentence, as in
dinner being over, we left the
table; let us
toss for it,
loser to pay. b (of an
adjective or
transitive verb) used or
usable without an expressed
noun or
object (e.g. the
deaf, guns kill). 6 (of a
legal decree etc.)
final. --n. Philos. 1 a
value, standard,
etc.,
which is
objective and universally valid, not
subjective or relative. 2 (prec. by the) a Philos.
that which can
exist without being
related to
anything else. b Theol.
ultimate reality;
God. øabsolute
alcohol Chem.
ethanol free from water or other impurities. absolute
magnitude the magnitude, i.e. brightness, of a
celestial body as
seen at a standard
distance of 10 parsecs (opp.
apparent magnitude). absolute
majority 1 a majority over
all others combined. 2
more than half. absolute pitch Mus. 1 the
ability to
recognize the pitch of a
note or
produce any given note. 2 a fixed standard of pitch defined by the rate of
vibration. absolute
temperature one measured from absolute
zero. absolute zero a
theoretical lowest
possible temperature, at which the particles
whose motion constitutes
heat would be
minimal,
calculated as -273.15
ÛC (or 0 ÛK). øøabsoluteness n. [ME f. L absolutus
past part.: see ABSOLVE]