desist, v.
(dɪˈzɪst)
Also 6 -syste, -cist, 7 dissist.
[a. OF. desister (1358 in Littré; mod.F. dé-), ad. L. dēsist-ĕre, f. de- 2 + sistĕre to stop, stand still.]
1. intr. To cease (from some action or procedure); to stop, leave off, give over, forbear.
| 1530 Palsgr. 514/1, I counsayle you desyst from this purpose. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 62, I pray the to decist fra that tideus melancolic orison. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xv. 16 Notwithstanding [they] did not desist of their enterprise. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 100 At last, quite wearied with kissing and weeping, they were faine to desist. 1752 Fielding Amelia 121 Men should therefore desist from this enormous crime. a 1859 Macaulay Hist. Eng. V. 51 The Peers desisted from urging a request which seemed likely to be ungraciously refused. 1866 Kingsley Herew. iii, He shouted to the combatants to desist. |
† b. Const. in. Obs.
| a 1774 Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Comic Rom. (1775) II. 176 Request that he would desist in his gallantries to me. 1795 Fate of Sedley II. 140 He only begged me to desist..in thinking of such an union. 1842 C. Whitehead R. Savage (1845) II. viii. 275, I desisted in the attempt; more properly to speak, I declined it. |
† c. Const. inf. with to. Obs.
| 1539 Act 31 Hen. VIII, c. 12 Diuers idell..persons..haue not desisted to take egges of faucons..out of the nestes. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. iii. 49 What do we then, but..at least, desist To builde at all? 1647–8 Sir C. Cotterell Davila's Hist. Fr. (1678) 19 Never desisted to persecute them. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 160/1 Gods always were, to be desisted never. |
d. To cease to prefer a claim.
| 1673 Pennsylv. Archives I. 32 We doe hereby dissist off the same land. |
2. To come to an end, cease, terminate. Obs. rare.
| a 1657 Sir J. Balfour Ann. Scot. (1824–5) II. 254 The vrging of the Perth artickells must ceasse and desist. |
† 3. trans. To leave off, discontinue. Obs.
| 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 107 Thou foole desist thy wordes vayne. 1599 in Beveridge Hist. India I. i. x. 225 They shuld be required to desist their viage. 1679 Oates Narr. Popish Plot 53 He ordered the said Blundel, not to desist the business in hand. 1753 Stewart's Trial 209 The uncle desisted further inquiry. 1784 New Spectator xi. 6/1 Unless they desist their attacks on the fair milliner. |
† 4. To withstand (? error for resist). Obs. rare—1.
| 1548 Bodrugan (Adams) Epit. King's Title H iv, Who of you by reason or otherwise is able to desist my persuasion of this vnion. |
Hence deˈsisting vbl. n.
| 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 270 There was no desisting from former courses, no breaking off of olde sinnes. 1709 Hearne Collect. 13 Mar., Mr. Lhuyd..has carried his Point..owing to my desisting. |