in the absence of
没有；缺乏；不存在；在……缺席的情况下
例：
The parties concerned may bring the action directly before the people's court in the absence of an arbitration clause in the contract or in the absence of a written arbitration agreement concluded afterwards.
当事人没有在合同中订立仲裁条款,事后又没有书面仲裁协议的,可以直接向人民法院提起诉讼.
"At any meeting of the Authority,the Chairman or,in his absence,the Vice-Chairman,or,in the absence of both of them,such member as the members present shall select,shall preside."
委员会之会议,由主席主持;如主席缺席则由副主席主持;如两者皆缺席,则由出席委员共推一人主持.
