n. 25B6; verb
his wife deserted him : ABANDON, leave, turn one's back on; throw over, jilt, break up with; leave high and dry, leave in the lurch, leave behind, strand, maroon; informal walk out on, run out on, drop, dump, ditch; poetic/literary forsake.
his allies were deserting the cause : RENOUNCE, repudiate, relinquish, wash one's hands of, abandon, turn one's back on, betray, disavow; formal abjure; poetic/literary forsake.
soldiers deserted in droves : ABSCOND, defect, run away, make off, decamp, flee, turn tail, take French leave, depart, quit; Military go AWOL.