To cause (an agent) to leave off (of an action); to appease, bring to rest, quiet. Obsolete.

transitive. To cause (a person) to cease action, to cause to desist. Const. of, from. Obsolete.

To cause (a person) to desist from or pause in a course of action or conduct. Const. from, in, †of; also with gerund as second object. Also to stop…

To cause to stop, to stop (any one).

To cause to desist or leave off from work; to discharge or dismiss from employment, to ‘lay off’.

To cause to desist from some action. rare.

transitive. To cause (a person) to abruptly discontinue a course of action; (also) to interrupt (a person) in speaking, esp. with an expression of…