Concise Oxford Dictionary, 8th Ed., Copyright 1991 Oxford Univ. Press
/cease/ <<si:s>> v. & n.
v.tr. & intr. stop; bring or come to an end ("ceased breathing").
n. (in "without cease") unending.
"cease fire" [Mil.] stop firing.
"cease-fire" n.
1. the order to do this.
2. a period of truce; a suspension of hostilities.
ME f. OF cesser, L cessare frequent. of cedere cess- yield