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   De·sert

   /dəˈzərt/

   

   verb

   • 1. abandon (a person, cause, or organization) in a way considered disloyal or treacherous: "we feel our public representatives have deserted us" Similar abandonleavegive upcast offturn one's back onthrow overbetrayjiltbreak (up) withneglectshunleave high and dryleave in the lurchleave behindstrandleave strandedmaroonrelinquishrenounceinformal:walk/run out onrat ondropdumpditchgive someone the pushgive someone the big Ebin offarchaic:forsakerenouncerenege onrepudiateforswearrelinquishwash one's hands ofhave no more truck withhave done withabjuredisavowabandonturn one's back onbetrayapostatizerecantarchaic:forsakerare:disprofessOpposite stand by
   • ▪ (of a number of people) leave (a place), causing it to appear empty: "good weather came after the summer hordes had deserted the beaches"
   • ▪ (of a quality or ability) fail (someone), especially at a crucial moment when most needed: "her luck deserted her"
   • ▪ (of a soldier) illegally run away from military service: "his life in the regiment had been such a hell that he decided to desert" Similar absconddefectrun awaymake offdecampfleeflyboltturn tailgo absent without leavetake French leavedepartquitescapeinformal:go AWOLOpposite stay

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French deserter, from late Latin desertare, from Latin desertus ‘left waste’ (see desert2).

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • D

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   • E

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   • S

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   • E

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   • R

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   • T

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