1. ending; cessation: archaicNorth American"he teased us without surcease"
▪ relief or consolation:archaicNorth American"drugs are taken to provide surcease from intolerable psychic pain"
verb
1. stop; cease.archaic
Word Originlate 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 century.