From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdesistde‧sist /dɪˈzɪst, dɪˈsɪst/ verb [intransitive] formal STOP DOING somethingto stop doing something We hope that the military regime will desist from its acts of violence. → cease and desist at cease1(2)→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
desist• However, the professor was able to convince them to desist by arguing that they lacked sufficient grounds for their demand.• One person might consider it his moral duty to fight and another to desist from fighting.• Perhaps the presence of her young mistress made her desist from talk.• Guidelines have been issued to them on the point at which they must desist from the chase because of danger to the public.• But they differ from normal girls in the extent to which they pursue these activities and their inability to desist from them.• It would be wise to desist from this activity forthwith.• Blaine would not desist in her insistence.Origin desist (1400-1500) Old French desister, from Latin sistere “to stand, stop” 