different between desist vs discontinue

English

Etymology

From Middle French desister.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??s?st/, /d??z?st/
• Rhymes: -?st

Verb

desist (third-person singular simple present desists, present participle desisting, simple past and past participle desisted)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To cease to proceed or act; to stop (often with from).
   • 1921, Annual Report of the Federal Trade Commission, page 173:

     After hearing[,] an order was entered requiring respondent to cease and desist the practice complained of under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission act.

   • 2005, Gerry Shishin Wick, The Book of Equanimity: Illuminating Classic Zen Koans, Simon and Schuster (?ISBN), page 307:

     Desist the kind of thinking that gets you into trouble. Thinking is in itself fine, but grabbing onto thoughts and images of your self will bring you suffering. Once you learn how to desist, how to let go of your ego-grasping mind, then cease thinking ...

Derived terms

Related terms

• cease and desist

Translations

Anagrams

• Deists, deists, deïsts, sisted

English

Etymology

From Old French descontinuer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?sk?n?t?nju/

Verb

discontinue (third-person singular simple present discontinues, present participle discontinuing, simple past and past participle discontinued)

1. To interrupt the continuance of; to put an end to, especially as regards commercial productions; to stop producing, making, or supplying something.

   They plan to discontinue that design.

   • 1603, Samuel Daniel, A Defence of Rime

     Taught the Greek tongue, discontinued before in these parts the space of seven hundred years.

   • 1669, William Holder, Elements of Speech

     They modify and discriminate the voice, without appearing to discontinue it.

Synonyms

• terminate
• break off

Antonyms

• continue

Translations

French

Adjective

discontinue

1. feminine singular of discontinu

Italian

Adjective

discontinue

1. feminine plural of discontinuo