English主要词典
desert
Universal Words
noun, verb
noun -see also DESERTS [C,U] a large area of land that has very little water and very few plants growing on it. Many deserts are covered by sand:
the Sahara Desert * Somalia is mostly desert. * burning desert sands * (figurative) a cultural desert (= a place without any culture)
verb
1 [VN] to leave sb without help or support
SYNABANDON:
She was deserted by her husband.
2 [VN] [oftenpassive] to go away from a place and leave it empty
SYNABANDON:
The villages had been deserted. * The owl seems to have deserted its nest.
3 to leave the armed forces without permission:
[V] Large numbers of soldiers deserted as defeat became inevitable. [also VN]
4 [VN] to stop using, buying or supporting sth:
Why did you desert teaching for politics?
5 [VN] (written) if a particular quality deserts you, it is not there when you need it:
Her courage seemed to desert her for a moment.
desertion noun [U,C]:
She felt betrayed by her husband's desertion. * The army was badly affected by desertions.
IDIOMS see SINKv.
