wilderness
/ˈwɪldənɪs/noun
usu. in sing.
1- an uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region未开垦之地; 荒野; 荒无人烟之地; 荒凉的地方。
1.1
- a neglected or abandoned area of a garden or town（花园中的）杂草丛生处; （城镇中的）荒芜的地方。
1.2
- figurative a position of disfavour, especially in a political context〈喻〉失宠; 在野, 不当政：
the man who led the Labour Party out of the wilderness
领导工党重新执政的人
as modifier his wilderness years.他在野的年月。
短语
a voice in the wilderness
- an unheeded advocate of reform (see Matt. 3:3 etc. )无人理睬的改革者（见《马太福音》3:3等）。
词源
Old English wildēornes 'land inhabited only by wild animals'， from wild dēor 'wild deer'+-NESS.