In the war, he was alone and helpless, with no one to rely on.
Tips
usage
Most often appears in the four-character 孤苦伶仃 ("alone and miserable"). Standalone 伶仃 is more literary and can also describe physical frailty - thin, hanging by a thread.
history
Echoes the Lingding Strait (伶仃洋) off Guangdong, made famous by Song general 文天祥's line 零丁洋里叹零丁 - "in the Lonely Sea I sigh at my loneliness." 零丁 and 伶仃 are written variants.
