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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Subsist

Sub-sist', v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [imp. & p. p. SUBSISTED; p. pr. & vb. n. SUBSISTING.] [Lat. subsistere, from prefix sub, under, and sistere, to stand, to be fixed; Fr. subsister, Sp. & Pg. subsistir, It. sussistere.]

Sense 1. To be; to have existence; to inhere.

And makes what happiness we justly call, Subsist not in the good of one, but all. Pope.

Sense 2. To continue; to retain the present state.

Firm we subsist, but possible to swerve. Milton.

Sense 3. To be maintained with food and clothing; to be supported; to live. “To subsist on other men’s charity.” Atterbury.

Sub-sĭst’, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. To support with provisions; to feed; to maintain. He laid waste the adjacent country in order to render it more difficult for the enemy to subsist their army. Robertson.