cease

2 entries found for cease.
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cease[1,verb] cease[2,noun]

Main Entry: ¹cease
Pronunciation: 'sEs
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): ceased; ceas·ing
Etymology: Middle English cesen, from Anglo-French cesser, from Latin cessare to hold back, be remiss, frequentative of cedere
transitive verb : to cause to come to an end especially gradually : no longer continue <they were forced to cease operations> <cease to exist>
intransitive verb
1 a : to come to an end <the fighting gradually ceased> b : to bring an activity or action to an end : DISCONTINUE <they have been ordered to cease and desist>
2 obsolete : to become extinct : DIE OUT
synonym see STOP