C U 沙漠，不毛之地 barren land, with very little water and vegetation, often sand-covered

　reclaim a ～　开垦沙漠
　barren ～　荒凉的不毛之地
　cultural ～　文化沙漠
　trackless ～　人迹罕至的沙漠
　arid ～　干旱的沙漠
　entertainment ～　一个缺乏文化娱乐的地方
　the Gobi ～　戈壁滩沙漠
　the Sahara ～　撒哈拉沙漠
　in a ～　在沙漠中
　on a ～　在沙漠中
　be lost in a ～ of doubt　陷入疑惑的荒漠中
　a ～ of snow　一片雪原

　Vast areas of land have become desert.　广大的地区均已变成沙漠。
　The rest of the country is mostly desert.　这个国家其余部分多半是沙漠。
　The explorers struck out for the desert.　勘探人员精神抖擞地向沙漠进发。
　An Arab was walking alone through the desert when he met two men.　一个阿拉伯人在穿越沙漠时遇到了两个人。
　We gazed out over the limitless expanses of the desert.　我们凝望着那一片漫无边际的沙漠。
　The settlers made a garden out of the desert.　移民们把荒漠改造成花园。
　The new nation is hoping to reclaim much of its land from the desert.　这个新建立的国家希望从沙漠中开垦出许多土地。
　He raced his car across the desert.　他开车驰过那片荒凉的沙漠。
　The Arab stopped and pitched in the desert.　这个阿拉伯人停下来，然后在沙漠中搭起了帐篷。
　It's a story about an Arab in the desert.　这是一个生活在沙漠地区的阿拉伯人的故事。
　They cannot get water at all in that desert area of Africa.　在非洲沙漠地区，他们根本找不到一滴水。
　The camel is still man's best friend in the desert.　在沙漠地区，骆驼仍然是人类最好的朋友。
　This kind of flower does not plant in the desert.　这种花在沙漠上不生长。
　The desert land was split into three development regions.　这块荒凉的土地被分成3个开发区。
　The town used to be a cultural desert.　那个城市过去是一座文化沙漠。

 ♣ receive one's just deserts
　受到应有的惩罚　get what one deserves
　He was fined for shoplifting but only received his just deserts.　他冒充顾客进商店行窃被罚款，那只不过是他应得的惩罚。

1. vt. & vi.舍弃，遗弃　 leave without help or support
2. vi.开小差，逃亡　 leave military service without permission

　～ a cause　背弃某种事
　～ a doctrine　背离某种学说
　～ an institution　离开某机构
　～ campaign pledges　背弃竞选的保证
　～ one's colours　变节
　～ one's family　遗弃家庭
　～ one's post　弃职
　～ one's principles　抛弃原则
　～ one's wife　抛弃妻子
　～ the army　从军队里开小差
　～ the land　抛弃土地
　～ the stage　离开舞台
　～ basely　基本抛弃
　～ completely　绝迹
　～ cruelly　残忍地抛弃
　～ easily　容易抛弃
　～ finally　最后地抛弃
　～ heartlessly　狠心地抛弃
　～ virtually　事实上抛弃
　～ willfully　故意抛弃
　～ from ship　擅自离船
　～ from the army　擅自离开军队
　～ sb in misfortune　抛弃遇到不幸的人
　～ sb in trouble　抛弃遇到困难的人
　～ to the enemy　叛逃投敌

　The whole crew deserted.　全体船员弃船逃生。
　Many men deserted during the food shortage.　饥荒时许多人逃往他乡。
　The village had hurriedly deserted, perhaps because bandits were in the district.　全村的人都匆匆逃走了，或许因为有土匪到达该地区。
　Never desert a friend in need.　决不要抛弃有困难的朋友。
　He deserted his wife and children and went abroad.　他丢下妻子儿女出国了。
　He has become so rude that his friends are deserting him.　他变得粗暴无礼，所以朋友们都不和他来往了。
　Why did you desert us just when we needed you?　我们正需要你的时候，你为什么扔下我们不管?
　The baby's mother deserted him soon after giving birth.　那个母亲生下婴儿后不久就把他遗弃了。
　They deserted the fort without firing a shot.　他们一枪未放便把要塞丢了。
　They deserted the village because of the war.　由于战争他们背井离乡。
　They deserted their party and became a turncoat.　他们背叛了自己的党，成了叛徒。
　When he had to speak to her his courage suddenly deserted him.　当他需要同她说话时，他突然失去了勇气。
　The smile deserted his broad face.　笑意从他宽阔的脸庞上消失了。
　The students had gone. The corridor was deserted.　学生们已经走了，走廊里空荡荡的。
　The streets were deserted—everyone was watching the football match on television.　街上空无一人，大家都在看电视上的足球赛。
　The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.　敌人头目众叛亲离。
　The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.　这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
　The children came to a deserted castle and began with their mysterious expedition.　孩子们来到这个荒无人烟的城堡，开始了他们神秘的探险活动。

 ♣ desert from, desert to
　desert from　的意思是“逃出，逃离”；而desert to的意思是“投向”。试比较：

 ♣ desert, abandon, forsake, give up, leave, quit
1. abandon的宾语可以是对其负有权利和义务的人（朋友、妻室儿女等）、物或事物（计划、希望、意见、职业等），例如：
　He abandoned medicine for literature.　他弃医从文。
　desert　的宾语主要是职责或应尽的义务；forsake的宾语可以是某种宗教信仰或爱好等，也可以是某人曾经一度爱慕或依恋过的人或物。例如：
　She forsook her worldly possessions to devote herself to the church.　她抛弃所有而献身教会。
2. leave为普通用语，表示一般的“离开”，与off搭配时表示“放弃”，例如：
　It's time you left off that childish habit of thought.　你该放弃那种孩子似的思维习惯了。
　abandon　强调不负责任，丢弃不顾，永远和完全放弃，例如：
　I would never abandon any friends.　我永远不会遗弃我的朋友。
　desert　强调背信弃义，违背允诺、誓言或逃避责任，为法律或道德所不容；forsake强调断绝感情上的依恋，含有并不违背法律和道德规范的意味；quit表示突然地、仓促地放弃；give up包含有abandon, quit或leave的意思。
3. 在原因或动机上， abandon, leave, give up可以是主动的、自愿的，也可以是被迫的、勉强的；quit则是主动的、自愿的，例如：
　I'd had enough, so I quit.　我受够了，所以我辞职不干了。

　［同义词］ n. barren, wildness v. abandon, forsake, leave
　［反义词］ v. accompany, join
　［词源］　近代拉丁语desertare <古法语dèserter <拉丁语deserere（沙漠，不毛之地）