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Webster 1913 Edition


Desist

De-sist′

(?; 277)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Desisted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Desisting
.]
[L.
desistere
;
de-
+
sistere
to stand, stop, fr.
stare
to stand: cf. F.
désister
. 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 1828 Edition


Desist

DESIST

,
Verb.
I.
[L. To stand.] To stop; to cease to act or proceed; to forbear; with from; as, he desisted from his purpose; let us desist.

Definition 2024


desist

desist

English

Verb

desist (third-person singular simple present desists, present participle desisting, simple past and past participle desisted)

  1. (intransitive) To cease to proceed or act; to stop; to forbear; -- often with from.
    • 1906, Jack London, White Fang, part I, ch I,
      One Ear was uttering quick, eager whines, lunging at the length of his stick toward the darkness, and desisting now and again in order to make frantic attacks on the stick with his teeth.

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