“There was no rest, no surcease from agony.’

-Lord of Samarcand

1. sur•cease

[sərˈsēs]

NOUN

1. archaic

NORTH AMERICAN

cessation:

 relief or consolation:

VERB

2. archaic

cease.

ORIGIN

late Middle English (as a verb): from Old French sursis, past participle of Old French surseoir ‘refrain, delay,’ from Latin supersedere (see supersede). The change in the ending was due to association with cease; the noun dates from the late 16th cent.

RELATED FORMS

surcease (noun)

surcease (verb)

surceases (third person present)

surceased (past tense)

surceased (past participle)