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

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

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