Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Something that is deserved or merited, especially a punishment.
- noun The state or fact of deserving reward or punishment.
- intransitive verb To leave empty or alone; abandon.
- intransitive verb To withdraw from, especially in spite of a responsibility or duty; forsake.
- intransitive verb To abandon (a military post, for example) in violation of orders or an oath.
- intransitive verb To forsake one's duty or post, especially to be absent without leave from the armed forces with no intention of returning.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[Middle English, from Old French deserte, from feminine past participle of deservir, to deserve; see deserve.]
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[French déserter, from Late Latin dēsertāre, frequentative of Latin dēserere, to abandon : dē-, de- + serere, to join; see ser- in Indo-European roots.]
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Examples
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