Main Entry: per·sist

Pronunciation: \pər-ˈsist, -ˈzist\

Function: intransitive verb

Etymology: Middle French persister, from Latin persistere, from per- + sistere to take a stand, stand firm; akin to Latin stare to stand — more at stand

Date: 1538

1 : to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning
2 obsolete : to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or position
3 : to be insistent in the repetition or pressing of an utterance (as a question or an opinion)
4 : to continue to exist especially past a usual, expected, or normal time

synonyms see continue

— per·sist·er noun