General
awol
What does awol mean?
Military classification for a service member who's left their post or unit without authorisation. Short stints get you charged; long enough and it upgrades to desertion. Pronounced 'AY-wol'.
"He missed morning formation three days running — they've marked him AWOL."
Origin
US/British military, in use since at least the American Civil War; standardised in 20th-century military codes of justice.
Frequently asked questions
What does AWOL mean?
It stands for Absent Without Leave — gone, without any permission to be.
How do you use AWOL in a sentence?
"He's gone AWOL again — nobody's heard from him in days."
Where does AWOL come from?
It originates from military terminology for a soldier who is absent from duty without official permission.
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