Etymology : Middle French and Latin; Middle French consister, from Latin consistere, literally, to stop, stand still, from com- + sistere to take a stand; akin to Latin stare to stand; more at STAND
Pronunciation : k&n-sist
Function : intransitive verb
Date : 1526
1. be composed of, be made up of. consist\con*sist"\ (k&obreve;n*s&ibreve;st"), 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.].
2. 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. ol. i.
3. 2. to be composed or made up; -- followed by of. the land would consist of plains and valleys. burnet.
4. to have as its substance or character, or as its foundation; to be; -- followed by in. if their purgation did consist in words. a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
5. 4. to be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; -- formerly used absolutely, now followed by with. this was a consisting story. burnet. health consists with temperance alone. for orders and degrees jar not with liberty, but well consist.
6. to insist; -- followed by on. [obs.].
7. 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.
8. To be composed or made up; followed by of.
9. To have as its substance or character, or as its foundation; to be; followed by in.
10. To be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; formerly used absolutely, now followed by with.
11. To insist; followed by on. be composed of; "The land he conquered comprised several provinces"; "What does this dish consist of?" be consistent in form, tenor, or character; be congruous; "Desires are to be satisfied only so far as consists with an approved end" have its essential character; be comprised or contained in; be embodied in; "The payment consists in food"; "What does love consist in?".
12. 1. Something that consists of particular things or people is formed from them. Breakfast consisted of porridge served with butter.
13. Something that consists in something else has that thing as its main or only part. His work as a consultant consisted in advising foreign companies on the siting of new factories. consist in to be based on or depend on something.