persist
verb /pəˈsɪst/
/pərˈsɪst/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they persist | /pəˈsɪst/ /pərˈsɪst/ |
| he / she / it persists | /pəˈsɪsts/ /pərˈsɪsts/ |
| past simple persisted | /pəˈsɪstɪd/ /pərˈsɪstɪd/ |
| past participle persisted | /pəˈsɪstɪd/ /pərˈsɪstɪd/ |
| -ing form persisting | /pəˈsɪstɪŋ/ /pərˈsɪstɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to continue to do something despite difficulties or opposition, in a way that can seem unreasonable
- persist in doing something Why do you persist in blaming yourself for what happened?
- persist in something She persisted in her search for the truth.
- persist with something He persisted with his questioning.
- + speech ‘So, did you agree or not?’ he persisted.
Extra Examples- If you persist in upsetting her, I will have to punish you.
- The detective stubbornly persisted with his questions.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- doggedly
- stubbornly
- in
- with
- [intransitive] to continue to exist
- The belief that the earth was flat persisted for many centuries.
- If the symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
Extra Examples- If symptoms persist for more than a few days, see a doctor.
- The condition almost always persists beyond childhood.
- The depression persisted through much of the 1930s.
- The snows persisted until the second month of the new year.
- The trade network persisted in spite of the political chaos.
- These practices persisted into the Middle Ages.
- This situation cannot be allowed to persist.
- a belief that persists to this day
- the problems that persisted during the three-day conference
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- still
- to this day
- indefinitely
- …
- be likely to
- tend to
- be allowed to
- …
- beyond
- despite
- in spite of
- …
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin persistere, from per- ‘through, steadfastly’ + sistere ‘to stand’.