Part 2992

<h1>Desert</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>Des"ert</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. L. <ets>desertus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>deserere</ets>, and F. <ets>d\'82sert</ets>. See 2d <er>Desert</er>.]</ety> <def>Of or pertaining to a desert; forsaken; without life or cultivation; unproductive; waste; barren; wild; desolate; solitary; <as>as, they landed on a <ex>desert</ex> island</as>.</def>

<blockquote>He . . . went aside privately into a <b>desert</b> place. <i>Luke ix. 10.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the <b>desert</b> air. <i>Gray.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Desert flora</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>the assemblage of plants growing naturally in a desert, or in a dry and apparently unproductive place.</cd> -- <col>Desert hare</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>a small hare (<spn>Lepus sylvaticus</spn>, var. <spn>Arizon\'91</spn>) inhabiting the deserts of the Western United States.</cd> -- <col>Desert mouse</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>an American mouse (<spn>Hesperomys eremicus</spn>), living in the Western deserts.</cd></cs>

<h1>Desert</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>De*sert"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Deserted</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Deserting</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Cf. L. <ets>desertus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>deserere</ets> to desert, F. <ets>d\'82serter</ets>. See 2d <er>Desert</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>To leave (especially something which one should stay by and support); to leave in the lurch; to abandon; to forsake; -- implying blame, except sometimes when used of <i>localities</i>; <as>as, to <ex>desert</ex> a friend, a principle, a cause, one's country</as>.</def> "The <i>deserted</i> fortress."

<i>Prescott.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Mil.)</fld> <def>To abandon (the service) without leave; to forsake in violation of duty; to abscond from; <as>as, to <ex>desert</ex> the army; to <ex>desert</ex> one's colors.</as></def>

<h1>Desert</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>De*sert"</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To abandon a service without leave; to quit military service without permission, before the expiration of one's term; to abscond.</def>

<blockquote>The soldiers . . . <b>deserted</b> in numbers. <i>Bancroft.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- To abandon; forsake; leave; relinquish; renounce; quit; depart from; abdicate. See <er>Abandon</er>.</syn>

<h1>Deserter</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>De*sert"er</hw> <fld>(<?/)</fld>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who forsakes a duty, a cause or a party, a friend, or any one to whom he owes service; especially, a soldier or a seaman who abandons the service without leave; one guilty of desertion.</def>

<h1>Desertful</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>De*sert"ful</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Meritorious.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Beau. & Fl.</i>

<h1>Desertion</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>De*ser"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>desertio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>d\'82sertion</ets>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of deserting or forsaking; abandonment of a service, a cause, a party, a friend, or any post of duty; the quitting of one's duties willfully and without right; esp., an absconding from military or naval service.</def>

<blockquote>Such a resignation would have seemed to his superior a <b>desertion</b> or a reproach. <i>Bancroft.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The state of being forsaken; desolation; <as>as, the king in his <ex>desertion</ex></as>.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Abandonment by God; spiritual despondency.</def>

<blockquote>The spiritual agonies of a soul under <b>desertion</b>. <i>South.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Desertless</h1> <Xpage=397>

<hw>De*sert"less</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Without desert.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>