Meaning of Word: Cease
Definitions and Meaning in English:
- Cease (verb): To bring or come to an end; to stop doing something; to discontinue an action or activity.
- Cease (noun, rare): The act of stopping or bringing something to an end.
History and Origin: The word “cease” comes from the Middle English cesen, which traces back to Old French cesser, meaning “to stop” or “to desist”. This, in turn, comes from the Latin verb cedere, meaning “to go” or “to yield”. Over time, the meaning evolved to imply the cessation of an activity or the end of something.
Detailed Explanation: To “cease” means to stop or discontinue an action, event, or process. It can be used to describe the end of an activity, event, or state of being. For example, when someone stops talking, they cease talking. “Cease” often implies a formal or deliberate stopping, unlike more casual terms such as “quit” or “give up,” which can suggest a personal decision to stop.
Example Sentences:
- The company decided to cease operations in the region after the economic downturn.
- Please cease making so much noise during the meeting.
- The rain finally ceased after several hours.
- They agreed to cease all hostilities in order to reach a peace agreement.
- The doctor advised him to cease his strenuous exercise routine.
- The fire ceased burning after the fire department arrived.
- After the argument, they chose to cease communication with each other.
- The law requires you to cease any illegal activities immediately.
- The project will cease once the funding runs out.
Synonyms with Short Explanation:
- Stop – To bring an activity to an end, often used in more casual contexts.
- Discontinue – To stop something that was previously in progress, usually temporarily.
- Halt – To stop suddenly or bring to a standstill.
- Terminate – To bring something to a formal or final conclusion.
- Suspend – To temporarily stop something with the possibility of resumption.
Related Words with Short Explanation:
- Pause – A temporary stop or break in activity.
- End – The point in time when something ceases or concludes.
- Quit – To voluntarily stop doing something, often used in a personal or informal context.
- Break – A period of cessation in activity or work.
- Desist – To stop doing something, typically after an urging or warning.
Antonyms:
- Continue – To keep going or persist with an activity or action.
- Start – To begin or initiate an action or process.
- Commence – To begin something, particularly an action or event.
- Resume – To begin again after a pause or interruption.
- Persist – To continue firmly in a course of action despite obstacles or delays.