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Webster 1913 Edition


Desolate

‖

Des′o-late

,
Adj.
[L.
desolatus
, p. p. of
desolare
to leave alone, forsake;
de-
+
solare
to make lonely,
solus
alone. See
Sole
,
Adj.
]
1.
Destitute or deprived of inhabitants; deserted; uninhabited; hence, gloomy;
as, a
desolate
isle; a
desolate
wilderness; a
desolate
house.
I will make Jerusalem . . . a den of dragons, and I will make the cities of Judah
desolate
, without an inhabitant.
Jer. ix. 11.
And the silvery marish flowers that throng
The
desolate
creeks and pools among.
Tennyson.
2.
Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed;
as,
desolate
altars
.
3.
Left alone; forsaken; lonely; comfortless.
Have mercy upon, for I am
desolate
.
Ps. xxv. 16.
Voice of the poor and
desolate
.
Keble.
4.
Lost to shame; dissolute.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
5.
Destitute of; lacking in.
[Obs.]
Syn. – Desert; uninhabited; lonely; waste.

Des′o-late

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Desolated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Desolating
.]
1.
To make desolate; to leave alone; to deprive of inhabitants;
as, the earth was nearly
desolated
by the flood
.
2.
To lay waste; to ruin; to ravage;
as, a fire
desolates
a city
.
Constructed in the very heart of a
desolating
war.
Sparks.

Webster 1828 Edition


Desolate

DESOLATE

,
Adj.
1.
Destitute or deprived of inhabitants; desert; uninhabited; denoting either stripped of inhabitants, or never having been inhabitated; as a desolate isle; a desolate wilderness.
I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Jer. 9.
2.
Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed; as desolate altars; desolate towers. Ezek. Zeph.
3.
Solitary; without a companion; afflicted.
Tamar remained desolate in Absaloms house. 2 Sam. 13.
4.
Deserted of God; deprived of comfort.
My heart within me is desolate. Ps. 143.