cease-fire

American  

[sees-fahyuhr] / ˈsisˈfaɪər /

noun

1. a cessation of hostilities; truce.

2. Military. an order issued for a cease-fire.

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Etymology

Origin of cease-fire

First recorded in 1840–50; noun use of verb phrase cease fire

Explanation

When two warring countries take a short break from killing each other's soldiers, it's a cease-fire. Often part of peace talks, a cease-fire is a temporary pause in a battle. Any time a commander orders troops to stop firing their weapons, that's a cease-fire. The noun, in fact, comes from a military command: "Cease fire!" Cease means "stop," from the Latin cessare, "go slow or leave off." Another name for a cease-fire is a truce; it can be an informal agreement to delay any violence for the time being, or part of an official treaty between nations and the end of a war.

Related Words

• armistice
• ceasefire
• truce