resist

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
resist/rɪˈzɪst/

▶verb

• 1 withstand the action or effect of.

• 2 try to prevent by action or argument.

• 3 refrain from (something tempting).

• 4 struggle against.

▶noun a resistant substance applied as a coating to protect a surface during a process, for example to prevent dye or glaze adhering.

– derivatives
resister noun,
resistibility noun,
resistible adjective.

– origin ME: from OFr. resister or L. resistere, from re- (expressing opposition) + sistere ‘stop’.