desert
noun [ C or U ] uk/ˈdez.ət/ us/ˈdez.ɚt/
A2 沙漠，荒漠
an area, often covered with sand or rocks, where there is very little rain and not many plants
They were lost in the desert for nine days. 他们在沙漠里迷路已经有9天了。
We had to cross a large area of arid, featureless desert. 我们必须穿越一大片干燥荒芜的沙漠。
the desert sun 沙漠里的太阳
cultural, intellectual, etc. desert disapproving 文化（知识等）沙漠
a place that is considered to have no cultural, intellectual, etc. quality or interest
This town is a cultural desert. 这个城镇是一片文化沙漠。
It seems strange to think that this bustling, thriving city was once derided as a cultural desert.
Those who didn't know better might be tempted to dismiss the news industry as an intellectual desert.
The priest claimed that the city was a spiritual desert.
We live in a moral desert, where people do whatever they want without regard for whether it hurts others.
- More examples
- The flatness of the desert was broken only by a few large piles of rocks.
- She gave a hair-raising account of her escape through the desert.
- Living rough in the desert hardened the recruits a lot.
- The terrorists assumed control of the plane and forced it to land in the desert.
- At night, adult scorpions prowl the desert for insects.
desert
verb uk/dɪˈzɜːt/ us/dɪˈzɝːt/
(RUN AWAY)
[ I or T ]开小差，当逃兵;擅离（部队）
to leave the armed forces without permission and with no intention of returning
Soldiers who deserted and were caught were shot. 抓回来的逃兵被枪毙了。
How many people desert from the army each year? 每年军队有多少逃兵？
(LEAVE BEHIND)
[ T ]抛弃，丢弃
to leave someone without help or in a difficult situation and not come back
He deserted his wife and family for another woman. 他为了另一个女人抛家弃子。
[ T ]失去，丧失
If a quality deserts you, you suddenly and temporarily lose it.
All my confidence/courage deserted me when I walked into the exam. 进入考场后，我的全部信心／勇气都丧失了。