I. cease 1 W3 AC /siːs/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ cessation , ↑ cease ; verb : ↑ cease ; adverb : ↑ ceaselessly ; adjective : ↑ ceaseless ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: cesser , from Latin cessare 'to delay' , from cedere ; ⇨ ↑ cede ]
1 . formal to stop doing something or stop happening
cease to do something
He ceased to be a member of the association.
The things people will do for charity never cease to amaze me (=I am always surprised by them) .
cease doing something
the decision to cease using CFCs in packaging
The rain ceased and the sky cleared.
cease trading/production/operations etc (=stop operating a business)
The company ceased production at their Norwich plant last year.
cease fire! (=used to order soldiers to stop shooting)
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In everyday English, people usually use stop rather than cease :
▪
They have stopped using CFCs in packaging.
▪
The rain stopped just as the fireworks began.
2 . cease and desist law to stop doing something
⇨ ↑ ceasefire , ⇨ wonders will never cease at ↑ wonder 2 (5)
II. cease 2 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ cessation , ↑ cease ; verb : ↑ cease ; adverb : ↑ ceaselessly ; adjective : ↑ ceaseless ]
without cease formal without stopping