Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Surcease

Sur-cease′

,
Noun.
[F.
sursis
, from
sursis
, p. p. of
surseoir
to suspend, postpone, defer, in OF., to delay, refrain from, forbear, L.
supersedere
.
Surcease
is not connected with E.
cease
. See
Supersede
.]
Cessation; stop; end.
“Not desire, but its surcease.”
Longfellow.
It is time that there were an end and
surcease
made of this immodest and deformed manner of writing.
Bacon.

Sur-cease′

,
Verb.
T.
To cause to cease; to end.
[Obs.]
“The waves . . . their range surceast.”
Spenser.
The nations, overawed,
surceased
the fight.
Dryden.

Sur-cease′

,
Verb.
I.
To cease.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Surcease

SURCE'ASE

, v.i.
1.
To cease; to stop; to be at an end.
2.
To leave off; to practice no longer; to refrain finally.
So pray'd he, whilst an angel's voice from high,
Bade him surcease to importune the sky.
[This word is entirely useless, being precisely synonymous with cease, and it is nearly obsolete.]

SURCE'ASE

,
Verb.
T.
To stop; to cause to cease.

SURCE'ASE

,
Noun.
Cessation; stop.

Definition 2024


surcease

surcease

English

Noun

surcease (uncountable)

  1. Cessation; stop; end.
    • Longfellow
      Not desire, but its surcease.
    • Francis Bacon
      It is time that there were an end and surcease made of this immodest and deformed manner of writing.
    • 1970, Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, Bantam Books, pg. 217:
      For the individual who wishes to live in his time, to be a part of the future, the super-industrial revolution offers no surcease from change.
    • 1845, Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven"
      Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
      And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
      Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow
      From my books surcease of sorrow sorrow for the lost Lenore
      For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore
      Nameless here for evermore.

Verb

surcease (third-person singular simple present surceases, present participle surceasing, simple past and past participle surceased)

  1. (intransitive) To come to an end; to desist.
  2. (transitive) To bring to an end.
    • Spenser
      The waves [] their range surceast.
    • Dryden
      The nations, overawed, surceased the fight.