cease
v.-
1 to stop happening (v.) C1 Advanced Formalto stop or come to an end.
to come to an end or eventuate in a state of inactivity. Often used intransitively to describe natural or mechanical processes.
ExampleThe rain finally ceased late in the evening, and the stars appeared.
ExampleHostilities between the two factions ceased only after the international community threatened to impose severe economic sanctions.
UsageOften used as an intransitive verb where the subject is a process or state.
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2 to stop doing something (v.) C1 Advanced Formalto stop doing a particular activity.
to discontinue an action or practice. Transitive use often followed by a gerund or a noun phrase.
ExampleThe factory will cease production of the old model next month.
ExampleThe department was ordered to cease all recruitment activities until the budget for the next fiscal year had been approved.
UsageCan be followed by a noun, a gerund (-ing), or a 'to' infinitive.
PitfallThe company ceased from making the product.The company ceased making the product.In modern English, 'cease' is followed directly by a gerund or 'to' infinitive, not the preposition 'from'.
From Middle English cesen, cessen, from Middle French cesser (“to cease”), from Latin cessō (“leave off”), frequentative of cēdō (“to leave off, go away”). Compare secede.