desist
/di'zist/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To stop doing something; to cease or abstain from an action: "desist" means to voluntarily choose to end or refrain from a particular activity or behavior. It implies a conscious decision to discontinue.
Usage
- The verb "desist" is typically used in formal or legal contexts. It is almost always followed by the preposition "from" and a gerund (the -ing form of a verb) or a noun phrase indicating the action being stopped.
- It is an intransitive verb; it does not take a direct object. The action being ceased is introduced by the prepositional phrase "from + [action]".
Examples
- Verb:
Advanced Usage
- "to cease and desist": This is a common legal phrase, often used in formal orders or letters demanding that an individual or organization stop a specified activity immediately.
Variants and Related Words
- Desistance (n): The act or fact of desisting; cessation.
Synonyms
- Cease: To bring or come to an end.
- Stop: To discontinue a movement or activity.
- Abstain: To refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice.
- Discontinue: To put an end to; stop.
Antonyms
- Continue: To keep doing something without stopping.
- Persist: To continue firmly in a course of action in spite of difficulty.
- Proceed: To begin or continue a course of action.
Related Phrases
- "Desist from": The standard construction for using the verb.
Verb
- choose not to consume
- I abstain from alcohol