Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Cease \Cease\, v. t.
   To put a stop to; to bring to an end.

         But he, her fears to cease Sent down the meek-eyed
         peace.                                   --Milton.

         Cease, then, this impious rage.          --Milton

Cease \Cease\, n.
   Extinction. [Obs.] --Shak.

Cease \Cease\ (s[=e]s), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Ceased}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Ceasing}.] [OE. cessen, cesen, F. cesser, fr. L.
   cessare, v. intemsive fr. cedere to withdraw. See {Cede}, and
   cf. {Cessation}.]
   1. To come to an end; to stop; to leave off or give over; to
      desist; as, the noise ceased. ``To cease from strife.''
      --Prov. xx. 3.

   2. To be wanting; to fail; to pass away.

            The poor shall never cease out of the land. --Deut.
                                                  xv. 11.

   Syn: To intermit; desist; stop; abstain; quit; discontinue;
        refrain; leave off; pause; end.

Source : WordNet®

cease
     n : (`cease' is a noun only in the phrase `without cease') end
     v 1: put an end to a state or an activity; "Quit teasing your
          little brother" [syn: {discontinue}, {stop}, {give up},
          {quit}, {lay off}] [ant: {continue}]
     2: have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense;
        either spatial or metaphorical; "the bronchioles terminate
        in a capillary bed"; "Your rights stop where you infringe
        upon the rights of other"; "My property ends by the
        bushes"; "The symphony ends in a pianissimo" [syn: {end},
        {stop}, {finish}, {terminate}] [ant: {begin}]