Absent from Dartmouth (3)
I believe the answer is:
out
'absent' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'from dartmouth' is the wordplay.
'from' indicates a hidden word.
'OUT' is hidden in the letters of 'dartmouth'.
(Other definitions for out that I've seen before include "not worth considering" , "At fault - dismissed" , "On strike - dismissed - unconsciousout" , "SECOND PART OF 16" , "Means of escape" .)