3. TRANS., linquere (belongs PROP. to poetical language, and is used by Cic. only when his language takes a poetical flight, as in his orations): relinquere (to leave behind, either a person, or place; thence, also, it is = deserere, as Nep., Dat., 6, 3; signa relinquere to desert one’s colors, “to desert”): derelinquere (to desert anybody, or anything, without further troubling one’s self about them): cedere aliquo loco, or ex aliquo loco: decedere aliquo loco, de or ex aliquo loco: discedere ab aliquo, or loco, a or e loco (decedere aliquo loco implies the forsaking of one’s customary functions; discedere, merely going away): destituere (to desert where anybody’s support and assistance is expected). (The words are found in this connection and order.) relinquere et deserere; deserere et relinquere; destituere et relinquere. alicui deesse; deficere aliquem (to fail him when his services are required and expected): desciscere ab aliquo (e.g., nec si a me forte desciveris, idcirco te - patiar, etc., Cic.). Hope deserts anybody, destituitur aliquis a spe: my strength deserts, or fails me, vires me deficiunt; a viribus deficior: my memory deserts me, memoria deficit, or labat; memoria labor: presence of mind never deserts a good speaker, prudentia nunquam deficit bonum oratorem: to desert anybody or any party, etc., deficere ab aliquo or ab aliqua re (also figuratively); deficere ab amicitia alicujus; desciscere ab aliquo (Nep.).
4. INTR., exercitum deserere signa desesere (Caes.) or relinquere (to desert his colors; Sall. Liv.): transire: transfugere (to cross over to; fly to): to desert to the enemy, ad adversarios or hostes transire, transfugere, perfugere; pro perfuga venire ad hostem (Caes.): to the Romans, ad Romanos transfugere (of actually flying to them; e.g., from a city; Liv., Nep.): many deserted to the enemy, transitiones ad hostem fiebant (Liv. 28, 16): to desert to anybody, in alicujus partes transgredi; deficere ad aliquem.