Legal Definitions - desist

Definition: To stop or leave off.

Example: The police officer ordered the suspect to desist from running away.

Explanation: In this example, the word "desist" is used to mean that the police officer ordered the suspect to stop running away. The suspect was engaged in a particular course of conduct (running away), and the police officer used the word "desist" to command the suspect to stop that conduct.

Related term: CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDER

Definition: A court's or agency's order prohibiting a person from continuing a particular course of conduct.

Example: The company received a cease-and-desist order from the government, which required them to stop selling their product until they complied with safety regulations.

Explanation: In this example, the government issued a cease-and-desist order to the company, which required them to stop selling their product until they complied with safety regulations. The order prohibited the company from continuing a particular course of conduct (selling their product) until they met certain requirements.