surcease

American  

[sur-sees] / sɜrˈsis /

verb (used without object)

surceased, surceasing

1. to cease from some action; desist.

2. to come to an end.

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verb (used with object)

surceased, surceasing

1. Archaic. to cease from; leave off.

noun

1. cessation; end.

surcease British  

/ sɜːˈsiːs /

noun

1. cessation or intermission

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verb

1. to desist from (some action)

2. to cease or cause to cease

Etymology

Origin of surcease

1400–50; sur- ¹ + cease; replacing late Middle English sursesen (v.) < Middle French sursis (past participle of surseoir ) < Latin supersessus (past participle of supersedēre to forbear; see supersede), equivalent to super- super- + sed ( ēre ) sit ¹ + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > ss

Explanation

Surcease is a fancy word for "ending." If you want a movie to end, you long for its surcease. This word can be used as a noun or verb, but either way it means something is finished. If you surcease working, then you finished your homework for the day. Many people hate when their sleep comes to a surcease in the morning. If a clumsy dentist is causing you pain, you might yell "Surcease! Surcease!" That just means "Stop it!" In life, everything surceases eventually. This is a word you’re likely to see in poetry and other formal writing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

surcease surceased

So if there is surcease from sorrow, and my name is attached to it, thank God.”

From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2023

I'll hope for just a few years to spend not wishing every day were over just a weekend, and a momentary surcease.

From New York Times ● Mar. 30, 2018

As report after report indicates, he attacks, lashes out, mocks, tweets, pummels, charges and complains, showering calumny on others even as he praises his achievements without surcease.

From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2017

At his press conference last week, President Carter vowed the Government would "pursue without surcease" the federal inspection program with the $15 million.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I’ve gained pounds lying continuously in bed, seeking surcease and sublimation in food. Now we must run. I must leave this house. It has terrible associations.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

The Montanines also that remayned at Siena, liued in quyet, wythoute chalenge or quarell of their aduersaries, howbeit mutuall talke and haunt of others company vtterly surceased.

From The Palace of Pleasure Volume 3 by Painter, William

The morris-dancers stood still—the hobby-horse surceased his capering—pipe and tabor were mute, and "silence, like a heavy cloud," seemed to descend on the once noisy rabble.

From The Abbot by Scott, Walter, Sir

If praise from man surceased, from your broad chests That God would perfect praise, and, when ye died, Resound it from yon rocks that gird the bay: God knoweth all things.

From Legends of the Saxon Saints by De Vere, Aubrey

Then the people being restrained from their fury, the waters surceased from their fury also.

From The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings by O'Leary, James

In laughter spasms ye reel, or shout applause, Music surceased.

From Legends of the Saxon Saints by De Vere, Aubrey