discontinue

/ˌdis-kən-ˈtin-(ˌ)yü/

Middle English, from Anglo-French discontinuer, from Medieval Latin discontinuare, from Latin dis- + continuare to continue

verb

  1. to break the continuity of : cease to operate, administer, use, produce, or take

  2. to abandon or terminate by a legal discontinuance

  3. to come to an end

stop cease quit discontinue desist mean to suspend or cause to suspend activity. stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness. cease applies to states, conditions, or existence and may add a suggestion of gradualness and a degree of finality.