̘. ̈a.ˈdesəlɪt adj. & v. --adj. 1 left
alone;
solitary. 2 (of a
building or place)
uninhabited, ruined, neglected,
barren,
dreary,
empty (a desolate moor). 3
forlorn;
wretched;
miserable (was left desolate
and weeping). --v.tr. 1
depopulate or
devastate; lay
waste to. 2 (esp. as desolated adj.)
make wretched or forlorn (desolated by
grief;
inconsolable and desolated). øødesolately adv. desolateness n. desolator n. [ME f. L desolatus
past part. of desolare (as
DE-, solare f.
solus alone)]