Main Entry: ¹cease

Pronunciation: \ˈsēs\

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

Date: 14th century

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

synonyms see stop