3 definitions found From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]: Consist \Con*sist"\ (k[o^]n*s[i^]st"), verb (used without an object) [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 abundance 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.'' From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: consist verb 1: originate (in); "The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country" [syn: {dwell}, {lie}, {belong}, {lie in}] 2: have its essential character; be comprised or contained in; be embodied in; "The payment consists in food"; "What does love consist in?" 3: be consistent in form, tenor, or character; be congruous; "Desires are to be satisfied only so far as consists with an approved end" 4: be composed of; "The land he conquered comprised several provinces"; "What does this dish consist of?" [syn: {comprise}] From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]: 19 Moby Thesaurus words for "consist": abide, accord, be, comport, conform, consort, correspond, dovetail, dwell, exist, fit in, gee, go, inhere, lie, repose, reside, rest, subsist

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