Desist

• POS: Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: de=sist

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Desist, v.intr. (often foll. by from) literary abstain; cease (please desist from interrupting; when requested, he desisted).

Etymology

OF desister f. L desistere (as DE-, sistere stop, redupl. f. stare stand)

THESAURUS

Desist

abandon, abdicate, abjure, abort, acknowledge defeat, belay, cancel, cease, cede, come off, cry quits, cut it out, cut out, desist from, discontinue, disuse, drop, drop it, end, forgo, forswear, give, give over, give up, halt, hand over, have done with, hold, knock it off, lay down, lay off, leave off, let go, nol-pros, not pursue with, put behind one, quit, refrain, relinquish, renounce, resign, scrub, stay, stop, surrender, terminate, throw up, waive, yield

ROGET THESAURUS

Desist

Relinquishment

VB relinquish, give up, abandon, desert, forsake, leave in the lurch, go back on, depart from, secede from, withdraw from, back out of, leave, quit, take leave of, bid a long farewell, vacate, renounce, forego, have done with, drop, disuse, discard, wash one's hands of, drop all idea of, break off, leave off, desist, stop, hold one's hand, stay one's hand, quit one's hold, give over, shut up shop, throw up the game, throw up the cards, give up the point, give up the argument, pass to the order of the day, move to the previous question, relinquish, give up, surrender, yield, cede, let go, let slip, spare, drop, resign, forego, renounce, abandon, expropriate, give away, dispose of, part with, lay aside, lay apart, lay down, lay on the shelf, set aside, put aside, put away, make away with, cast behind, maroon, give notice to quit, give warning, supersede, be rid of, get rid of, be quit of, get quit of, eject, rid oneself of, disburden oneself of, divest oneself of, dispossess oneself of, wash one's hands of, discard, cast off, dismiss, cast away, throw away, pitch away, fling away, cast aside, cast overboard, cast to the dogs, throw aside, throw overboard, throw to the dogs, pitch aside, pitch overboard, pitch to the dogs, fling aside, fling overboard, fling to the dogs, cast to the winds, throw to the winds, sweep to the winds, put away, turn away, sweep away, jettison, reject, quit one's hold, quitclaim.

Inaction

VB not do, not act, not attempt, be inactive, abstain from doing, do nothing, hold, spare, not stir, not move, not lift a finger, not lift a foot, not lift a peg, fold one's arms, fold one's hands, leave alone, let alone, let be, let pass, let things take their course, let it have its way, let well alone, let well enough alone, quieta non movere, stare super antiquas vias, rest and be thankful, live and let live, lie rest upon one's oars, laisser aller, faire, stand aloof, refrain, keep oneself from doing, remit one's efforts, relax one's efforts, desist, stop, pause, wait, lie in wait, bide one's time, take time, tide it over, cool one's heels, kick one's heels, while away the time, while away tedious hours, pass the time, fill up the time, beguile the time, talk against time, let the grass grow under one's feet, waste time, lie by, lie on the shelf, lie in ordinary, lie idle, lie to, lie fallow, keep quiet, slug, have nothing to do, whistle for want of thought, undo, do away with, take down, take to pieces, destroy.

Cessation

VB cease, discontinue, desist, stay, halt, break off, leave off, hold, stop, pull up, stop short, stick, hang fire, halt, pause, rest, burn out, blow out, melt down, have done with, give over, surcease, shut up shop, give up, hold one's hand, stay one's hand, rest on one's oars repose on one's laurels, come to a stand, come to a standstill, come to a deadlock, come to a full stop, arrive, go out, die away, wear away, wear off, pass away, be at an end, disintegrate, self-destruct, intromit, interrupt, suspend, interpel, intermit, remit, put an end to, put a stop to, put a period to, derail, turn off, switch off, power down, deactivate, disconnect, bring to a stand, bring to a standstill, stop, cut short, arrest, stem the tide, stem the torrent, pull the check-string, pull the plug on, Int, hold!, stop!, enough!, avast!, have done!, a truce to!, soft!, leave off!, tenez!.