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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Consist \Con*sist"\ (k[o^]n*s[i^]st"), 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.
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He is before all things, and by him all things
consist. --Col. i. 17.
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2. To be composed or made up; -- followed by of.
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The land would consist of plains and valleys. --T.
Burnet.
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3. To have as its substance or character, or as its
foundation; to be; -- followed by in.
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If their purgation did consist in words. --Shak.
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A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth. --Luke xii.
15.
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4. To be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; --
formerly used absolutely, now followed by with.
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This was a consisting story. --Bp. Burnet.
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Health consists with temperance alone. --Pope.
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For orders and degrees
Jar not with liberty, but well consist. --Milton.
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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."
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