Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Consist?

\Con*sist"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Consisted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Consisting}.] [L. consistere to stand still or firm; con- + sistere to stand, cause to stand, stare to stand: cf. F. consister. See {Stand}.] 1. To stand firm; to be in a fixed or permanent state, as a body composed of parts in union or connection; to hold together; to be; to exist; to subsist; to be supported and maintained. He is before all things, and by him all things consist. --Col. i. 17. 2. To be composed or made up; -- followed by of. The land would consist of plains and valleys. --T. Burnet. 3. To have as its substance or character, or as its foundation; to be; -- followed by in. If their purgation did consist in words. --Shak. A man's life consisteth not in the abudance of the things which he possesseth. --Luke xii. 15. 4. To be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; -- formerly used absolutely, now followed by with. This was a consisting story. --Bp. Burnet. Health consists with temperance alone. --Pope. For orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but well consist. --Milton. 5. To insist; -- followed by on. [Obs.] --Shak. Syn: {To Consist}, {Consist of}, {Consist in}. Usage: The verb consist is employed chiefly for two purposes, which are marked and distinguished by the prepositions used. When we wish to indicate the parts which unite to compose a thing, we use of; as when we say, ``Macaulay's Miscellanies consist chiefly of articles which were first published in the Edinburgh Review.'' When we wish to indicate the true nature of a thing, or that on which it depends, we use in; as, ``There are some artists whose skill consists in a certain manner which they have affected.'' ``Our safety consists in a strict adherence to duty.''