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desert1 definition

de·sert (di zʉrt′)

transitive verb

  1. to forsake (someone or something that one ought not to leave); abandon
  2. to leave (one's post, military service, etc.) without permission
  3. to fail (someone) when most needed

Etymology: Fr déserter < LL desertare < desertus, pp. of L deserere, to desert, lit., to disjoin < de-, from + serere, to join < IE base *ser-, to join, place in a row > Gr eirein, to fasten in rows, L series

intransitive verb

to leave one's post, military duty, etc. without permission and with no intent to return, or, in war, in order to avoid hazardous duty

Related Forms:

desert2 definition

des·ert (dez′ərt)

noun

  1. an uncultivated region without inhabitants; wilderness
  2. a dry, barren, sandy region, often extremely hot

Etymology: ME < OFr < LL(Ec) desertum, a desert, for L deserta < desertus: see desert

adjective

  1. of a desert or deserts
  2. wild and uninhabited a desert island
desert3 definition

de·sert (di zʉrt′)

noun

  1. the fact of deserving reward or punishment
  2. deserved reward or punishment to get one's just deserts
  3. the quality of deserving reward; merit

Etymology: ME & OFr deserte < deservir: see deserve

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms desert idiom

desert Synonyms

desert

n.

waste, sand, wastelands, sahara, wilderness, badlands, barren plains, barrens, arid region, deserted region, sand dunes, lava beds, uncultivated expanse, infertile area, infertile region, salt flats, alkali flats, abandoned country, dust bowl; see also wilderness. See syn. study at waste.

Famous deserts include: Sahara, Kalahari, Kara Kum, Great Basin, Sonoran, Painted, Death Valley, Mojave, Atakama, Negev, Arabian, Rub" al Khali, Great Sandy, Dahna, Patagonian, Persian, Samnan, Tarim, Sinkiang, Gobi, Shamo, Great Victoria, Great Australian, Gidi, Libyan.


desert

v.

  1. To abandon in time of trouble

    forsake, leave, quit; see abandon 1, 2.

  2. To leave military service, one's post, etc.

    defect, be absent without leave, abandon one's post, sneak off, make off, abscond, run away from duty, run away from military service, go AWOL*, decamp, violate one's oath, leave unlawfully, go over the hill*, rat*, take French leave*, play truant*; see also abandon 2.

    Antonyms obey*, stay*, do one's duty. See syn. study at abandon.abandon.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

desert Usage Examples

Object

  • cove: Take your pick from deserted coves, pretty fishing ports or the busy resort of Salou.

Adjective modifier

  • arid: Equally, tho, the Americas possess a range of arid deserts with a more generic scope.

Modifies a noun

  • island: A desert island disk type of an album you'll want to cherish for the rest of your life.

Noun used with modifier

  • lava: This amazing country is full of incredible landscapes featuring glaciers, hot springs, geysers, active volcanoes and vast lava deserts.
desert usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

desert quotes

No horse's cry was that, most like the roar Of some pained desert lion, who all day Hath trailed the hunter's javelin in his side, And comes at night to die upon the sand.

-Arnold, Matthew

Zuleika, on a desert island, would have spent most of her time in looking for a man's footprint.

-Beerbohm, Sir (Henry) Max(imilian)

He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

-Bible (Old Testament)

desert quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"desert." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/desert>

APA Style

desert. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/desert

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