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desertion

 - 3 dictionary results

de⋅ser⋅tion

[di-zur-shuhn]
–noun
1. the act of deserting or the state of being deserted.
2. Law. willful abandonment, esp. of one's wife or husband without consent, in violation of legal or moral obligations.
3. an act of leaving military service or duty without the intention of returning.
Compare AWOL.


Origin:
1585–95; < LL dēsertiōn- (s. of dēsertiō) < L dēsert(us) (see desert 1 ) + -iōn- -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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de·ser·tion   (dĭ-zûr'shən)   
n.  
    1. The act or an instance of deserting.

    2. The state of being deserted.

  1. Law Willful abandonment of one's spouse or children or both without their consent and with the intention of forsaking all legal obligations to them.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: de·ser·tion
Function: noun
: the forsaking of a person, post, or relationship: as a : permanent withdrawal from living with one's spouse without the spouse's consent and without cause or justification
NOTE: Desertion is a ground for divorce in many states. b : intentional permanent termination of custody over one's child; also : ABANDONMENT c : abandonment of military duty without leave and without the intent to return
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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