I.sup., 3, v. n. (like all the compounds of the simple active verb, used only in a neutr. signif.), to withdraw or depart from, to go away; constr. absol., with ab, or the simple abl. (not in Cic.).
I. Lit.: “quae me hic reliquit atque abstitit,” who has left me behind here, and gone off, Plaut. Truc. 2, 6, 32: “ab signis,” Caes. B. G. 5, 17; v. Gron. ad Liv. 27, 45.—absol.: “miles abstitit,” went away, Tac. 2, 31: “ab ore scintillae absistunt,” burst forth, Verg. A. 12, 101: “limine,” id. ib. 7, 610: “luco,” id. ib. 6, 259. —
II. Trop. with abl. (of subst. or gerund.) or the inf., to desist from an act, purpose, etc., to cease, to leave off (so, perh., first in the Aug. period, for the more common desisto): “obsidione,” Liv. 9, 15 Drak.: “bello,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 104: “continuando magistratu,” Liv. 9, 34: “sequendo,” id. 29, 33: “ingratis benefacere,” id. 36, 35: “moveri,” Verg. A. 6, 399: “absiste viribus indubitare tuis,” cease to distrust thy strength, id. ib. 8, 403; cf. “morari,” id. ib. 12, 676.
