What does "subsist" mean?
Subsist: To continue; to retain a certain state. Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve. Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.To be maintained with food and clothing; to be supported; to live. Milton. To subsist on other men's charity. Atterbury.
- 3.To support with provisions; to feed; to maintain; as, to subsist one's family. He laid waste the adjacent country in order to render it more difficult for the enemy to subsist their army. Robertson.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00