Oxus is the name of a big river that used to flow a long time ago in a place called Central Asia. It was one of the most important rivers in that area because it helped people grow crops and provided water for their animals.
Nowadays, Oxus is not there anymore as it dried up and became part of the desert. But people still talk about it and remember how much it helped them in the past. In fact, people who study history and geography still use the name Oxus to describe that part of the world where the river used to be.
So, Oxus is like a big river that was important to people a long time ago but is not there anymore.