- when tr, may take a gerund or an infinitive as object:
to bring or come to an end; desist from; stop
- without cease ⇒
without stopping; incessantly
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
cease /sis/USA pronunciation
v., ceased, ceas•ing, n.
v.
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v.
- to (cause to) stop or discontinue: [no object]Hostilities must cease.[~ + object]We agree to cease hostilities.[~ + verb-ing]They ceased fighting temporarily.[~ + to + verb]Her good fortune never ceases to amaze me.
n. [uncountable]
- stopping;
cessation:The noise went on for hours without cease.
cease
(sēs),USA pronunciation v., ceased, ceas•ing, n.
v.i.
v.t.
n.
v.i.
- to stop;
discontinue:Not all medieval beliefs have ceased to exist. - to come to an end:At last the war has ceased.
- [Obs.]to pass away;
die out.
v.t.
- to put a stop or end to;
discontinue:He begged them to cease their quarreling.
n.
- cessation:The noise of the drilling went on for hours without cease.
- Latin cessāre to leave off, equivalent. to cess(us) (past participle of cēdere to withdraw, go; ced- go + -tus past participle suffix) + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive ending; see cede
- Old French cesser
- Middle English ces(s)en 1250–1300
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged terminate, end, culminate.
- 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged begin.
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