to stop; discontinue: Not all medieval beliefs have ceased to exist.
2.
to come to an end: At last the war has ceased.
3.
Obsolete. to pass away; die out.
verb (used with object)
4.
to put a stop or end to; discontinue: He begged them to cease their quarreling.
noun
5.
cessation: The noise of the drilling went on for hours without cease.
Origin: 1250–1300;Middle Englishces(s)en < Old Frenchcesser < Latincessāre to leave off, equivalent to cess(us) (past participle of cēdere to withdraw, go; ced- go + -tus past participle suffix) + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive ending; see cede
c.1300, from O.Fr. cesser, from L. cessare "to cease, go slow," frequentative of cedere "go away, withdraw, yield" (see cede). Replaced O.E. geswican, and blinnan. Ceaseless is recorded from 1586; ceaselessly from 1593. Cease-fire "armistice" is from 1918.