persevere
- 01 C2 Proficiency
to stay the same or remain in a certain state for a long time.
to remain constant or continue in a specific state. This usage is no longer found in contemporary English.
Simple“The old customs persevere in this small village.”
In context“The ancient traditions persevere within the isolated community, largely untouched by the rapid industrialisation of the surrounding provinces.”
“Then there’s also the very real risk of being excluded from the cultural and social highs of university life – the joys that make it worth persevering through gruelling deadlines and exam schedules.”
From Middle English perseveren, from Old French perseverer, from Latin persevērāre (“to continue steadfastly, persist, persevere”), from perseverus (“very strict or earnest”), from per (“through, by the means of”) + severus (“strict, earnest”). Doublet of perseverate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.