[Andrew Frisardi]

Does anyone have a sense of how the verb to abscond can be used?

I find this in Webster’s: “to depart secretly and hide oneself.”

And:

1. To hide, withdraw, or be concealed.
The marmot absconds all winter. —Ray.
2. To depart clandestinely; to steal off and secrete one's self; -- used especially of persons who withdraw to avoid a legal process; as, an absconding debtor.
That very homesickness which, in regular armies, drives so many recruits to abscond. —Macaulay.

But some other dictionaries say that it involves taking something along with you, running from the law, etc., as in:

“One of the bank’s employees absconded with the cash.” or “The prisoner absconded from jail.”

Are all these connotations current?

Editing back in to add that I tried to find the light on this word with a quick google, but got nowhere.