DESIST Meaning of DESIST in English [ dɪ'sɪst , dɪ'zɪst ]■ verb (often ~ from ) stop doing something.OriginME: from OFr. ~er , from L. ~ere , from de- 'down from' + sistere 'to stop'. Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004