Definitions for: Consist


[v] be composed of; "What does this dish consist of?"
[v] be composed of; "The land he conquered comprised several provinces"
[v] originate (in); "The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country"
[v] be consistent in form, tenor, or character; be congruous; "Desires are to be satisfied only so far as consists with an approved end"
[v] have its essential character; be comprised or contained in; be embodied in; "The payment consists in food"; "What does love consist in?"



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.''

Synonyms: belong, comprise, dwell, lie, lie in

See Also: agree, appertain, be, check, correspond, exist, fit, gibe, include, inhere, jibe, match, pertain, tally

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
click here
animals starting with p
n letter animals