Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
desist - 5 dictionary results

de⋅sist

  [di-zist, -sist]
Use desist in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
to cease, as from some action or proceeding; stop.
Origin:
1425–75; late ME < OF desister < L dēsistere to leave off, equiv. to dē- de- + sistere to stand, place, akin to stāre to stand

Related forms:
de⋅sist⋅ance, de⋅sist⋅ence, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To desist
de·sist   (dĭ-sĭst', -zĭst')   
intr.v.   de·sist·ed, de·sist·ing, de·sists
To cease doing something; forbear. See Synonyms at stop.

[Middle English desisten, from Old French desister, from Latin dēsistere : dē-, de- + sistere, to bring to a standstill; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Desist

De*sist"\ (?; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Desisting.] [L. desistere; de- + sistere to stand, stop, fr. stare to stand: cf. F. d['e]sister. See Stand.] To cease to proceed or act; to stop; to forbear; -- often with from.

Never desisting to do evil. --E. Hall.

To desist from his bad practice. --Massinger.

Desist (thou art discern'd, And toil'st in vain). --Milton.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

desist 
1459, from M.Fr. desister (1358), from L. desistere, from de- "off" + sistere "stop, come to a stand" (see assist).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

desist

see cease and desist.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see desist on Thesaurus | Reference