cease
cease
Pronunciation
IPA: /siːs/
Syllabic Breakdown:
/siː/:
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
/iː/ - long high front vowel
/s/:
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
Word Form Variations
The word "cease" is a verb, so it doesn't have a plural form. Here are its other word form variations:
Present Tense:
Third-person singular: ceases
Present Participle: ceasing
Past Tense: ceased
Past Participle: ceased
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition: To bring or come to an end; to stop; to discontinue.
Synonyms: halt, terminate, end, stop, finish, conclude, discontinue, desist, quit, abandon, give up, break off, call off, suspend, arrest, cease fire.
Antonyms: begin, commence, start, initiate, resume, continue, persist, persevere.
Example: "The rain finally ceased after hours of downpour."
Examples of Use
Books:
"The rain finally ceased, and the sun peeked through the clouds." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
"The music ceased abruptly, and a hush fell over the ballroom." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby)
Newspapers:
"Hostilities have ceased in the region following the peace agreement." (The New York Times)
"The company has ceased operations due to financial difficulties." (The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"Twitter has ceased to be a reliable source of news." (The Atlantic)
"The spread of misinformation must cease." (The Guardian)
Entertainment Mediums:
Film: In the movie Inception, Cobb states, "Dreams, they cease to exist when you wake up."
Television: A news anchor might say, "The search for the missing hiker has been ceased."
Music: A song lyric might include the line, "Let the pain cease, let the sorrow end."
General Public Discourse:
"The protests have ceased after the government agreed to the demands."
"I demand that the harassment cease immediately."
10 Famous Quotes Using Cease
"We will either find a way or cease to exist." — Carl Sagan
"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not cease to be pure." — Mahatma Gandhi
"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives and to cease being dependent on others." — Robert M. Hutchins
"Cease to ask what the morrow will bring forth, and set down as gain each day that Fortune grants." — Horace
"Cease to be idle, cease to be unclean, cease to find fault one with another." — Doctrine and Covenants 88:124 (Latter-day Saint scripture)
"Cease, every joy, to glimmer on my mind, but leave—oh! leave the light of Hope behind." — Thomas Moore
"Cease trying to work everything out with your minds. It will get you nowhere. Live by intuition and inspiration and let your whole life be Revelation." — Eileen Caddy
"Cease fire, cease fire — they are children!" — Malala Yousafzai (calling for peace in war zones; variations of this phrase appear in her advocacy speeches)
"Do not cease to drink beer, to eat, to intoxicate thyself, to make love, and to celebrate the good days." — Ancient Egyptian Proverb
"Cease to struggle and you cease to live." — Thomas Carlyle
Etymology
The word "cease" has a long and interesting journey! Here's a simple breakdown of its etymology:
Latin Roots: It all starts with the Latin word "cēdō," which means "to go," "to yield," or "to withdraw."
French Connection: Over time, "cēdō" evolved into the Latin word "cessāre," which meant "to leave off" or "to stop." This then made its way into Old French as "cesser," keeping the same basic meaning of "to come to an end."
English Arrival: Finally, "cesser" traveled across the English Channel and entered the English language around the 14th century.
So, essentially, "cease" has its roots in the idea of "going away" or "withdrawing," which perfectly reflects its current meaning of stopping or ending something.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cease
Here are some interesting ways "cease" is used and explore some creative options:
"Cease and desist": This is the most common phrase using "cease." It's a legal term meaning to stop an activity immediately.
Example: "The court issued a cease and desist order to the company for violating copyright laws."
"Without cease": This means continuously or without stopping.
Example: "The rain fell without cease for days."
Idioms with Similar Effect (using synonyms):
"Call it a day": To stop working or doing something for the day.
"Throw in the towel": To give up or stop trying.
"Bring to a halt": To cause something to stop suddenly.
"Come to an end": To finish or stop.
Original Phrases:
"To cease to amaze": To continue to be surprising or impressive.
"To cease to wonder": To stop being curious or inquisitive.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cease from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
