[ad. L. abscond-ĕre to hide or stow away, f. abs off, away + condĕre to put together, to stow, f. con together + dăre to put.]
† 1. trans. To hide away, to conceal (anything). Obs. or arch.
1612. Woodall, Surgeon’s Mate, Wks. 1653, 388. I advise it to be privately absconded for the reputation sake.
1669. Flamstead, in Phil. Trans., IV. 1105. The Moon approaching them (Stars of the 5th and 6th Magnitude) within 4 or 5 degrees, absconds them to the naked eye.
1699–1703. J. Pomfret, Poet. Wks. (1833), 99. The trembling Alps abscond their aged heads In mighty pillars of infernal smoke.
1868. Cussans, Handbk. Heraldry, xi. 146. The first is absconded, or covered, by the Canton.
2. refl. (Obs. or arch.)
1673. in Phil. Trans., VIII. 5180. Before Saturn did abscond himself in the beams of the Sun.
1681. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., 258. After a dark night … the little Fish will then bite best, having absconded themselves all night for fear of the greater.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1822), I. 315. The poor man fied from place to place absconding himself.
3. intr. (by omission of the refl. pron.) ‘To hide oneself; to retire from the public view: generally used of persons in debt, or criminals eluding the law.’ J.; to go away hurriedly and secretly.
1565–78. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 20. He was obliged to abscond, & to make his escape, in priest’s attire.
1694. Falle, Jersey, i. 34. The King … was forced to abscond with great danger of his Person, till he found a passage into France.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil (1840), II. vii. 267. He did his devilish endeavour, and stayed till he was forced to abscond again.
1782. Priestley, Matter & Spirit, I. xvii. 197. The villain who had absconded for a year would not escape punishment.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VIII. XVIII. xi. 5. Some few absconded, leaving their property as spoil.
1870. J. R. Lowell, My Study Windows, 4. In the coldest weather ever known the mercury basely absconded into the bulb.
