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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

con·sist       (kən-sĭst')  Pronunciation Key  intr.v.   con·sist·ed, con·sist·ing, con·sists To be made up or composed: New York City consists of five boroughs. See Usage Note at include. To have a basis; reside or lie: The beauty of the artist's style consists in its simplicity. To be compatible; accord: The information consists with her account. [Latin cōnsistere, to stand still, to be composed of : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + sistere, to cause to stand; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]

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consist 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

consist
verb
1.	originate (in); "The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country" [syn: dwell]
2.	have its essential character; be comprised or contained in; be embodied in; "The payment consists in food"; "What does love consist in?"
3.	be consistent in form, tenor, or character; be congruous; "Desires are to be satisfied only so far as consists with an approved end"
4.	be composed of; "The land he conquered comprised several provinces"; "What does this dish consist of?"

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Consist

Con*sist"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Consisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Consisting.] [L. consistere to stand still or firm; con- + sistere to stand, cause to stand, stare to stand: cf. F. consister. See Stand.]

1. To stand firm; to be in a fixed or permanent state, as a body composed of parts in union or connection; to hold together; to be; to exist; to subsist; to be supported and maintained.

He is before all things, and by him all things consist. --Col. i. 17.

2. To be composed or made up; -- followed by of.

The land would consist of plains and valleys. --T. Burnet.

3. To have as its substance or character, or as its foundation; to be; -- followed by in.

If their purgation did consist in words. --Shak.

A man's life consisteth not in the abudance of the things which he possesseth. --Luke xii. 15.

4. To be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; -- formerly used absolutely, now followed by with.

This was a consisting story. --Bp. Burnet.

Health consists with temperance alone. --Pope.

For orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but well consist. --Milton.

5. To insist; -- followed by on. [Obs.] --Shak.

Syn: To Consist, Consist of, Consist in.

Usage: The verb consist is employed chiefly for two purposes, which are marked and distinguished by the prepositions used. When we wish to indicate the parts which unite to compose a thing, we use of; as when we say, "Macaulay's Miscellanies consist chiefly of articles which were first published in the Edinburgh Review." When we wish to indicate the true nature of a thing, or that on which it depends, we use in; as, "There are some artists whose skill consists in a certain manner which they have affected." "Our safety consists in a strict adherence to duty."