(verb) : in-sisto, stĭti, 3
* To set foot upon, to stand, tread, or press upon; constr. mostly with dat., also with in and abl. or acc., or the simple acc. (class.).
* Lit.
* In gen.
* Trop.
* Esp.
* To press upon, repress; and hence, to halt, pause, stop, stand still: stellarum motus insistunt,Cic. N. D. 2, 40, 103: ut non referat pedem, insistet certe,id. Phil. 12, 3, 8; Tac. A. 4, 60: quae cum dixisset paulumque institisset,Cic. Fin. 5, 25, 75; id. Or. 56, 187: saepe accidit, ut aut citius insistendum sit, aut longius procedendum,id. ib. 66, 221; so, to pause in thought, hesitate, doubt: ille in reliquis rebus non poterit eodem modo insistere?Cic. Ac. 2, 33, 107; 2, 29, 94.
* With the simple acc.: plantam,Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 21: limen,to step upon, to tread the threshold,Verg. A. 6, 563: vestigia nuda sinistri pedis,id. ib. 7, 690: primis infans vestigia plantis,id. ib. 11, 574: cineres,Hor. Epod. 16, 11.
* To enter on or pursue a way, path, or journey: cum semel institerunt vestigia certa viaï,Lucr. 1, 407: huc an illuc iter,Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 11: omnes itinera insistant sua,id. Capt. 4, 2, 14: quam insistam viam,Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 3; id. Phorm. 1, 4, 14; Liv. 37, 7, 8.
* In hostile sense, to follow, pursue, press on; with dat.: effusis hostibus,Liv. 26, 44, 4: fugientibus,id. 27, 13, 4: contenti non institere cedentibus,Curt. 8, 11, 18; Nep. Eum. 4.—Pass. impers.: ut fracto jam Maroboduo, usque in exitium insisteretur,Tac. A. 2, 62.
* In gen., to follow, pursue.
* With acc.: viam domandi,Verg. G. 3, 164: rationem pugnae,plan,Caes. B. G. 3, 14, 3.
* Esp.
* To follow up, pursue an object or enterprise; to press vigorously, apply one's self to: in dolos,Plaut. Mil. 2, 4, 4: totus et mente et animo in bellum,Caes. B. G. 6, 5. — With acc.: hoc negotium,Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 54: manus,Cic. de Or. 3, 45, 176.—With dat.: rebus magnis,Tib. 4, 1, 135: perdomandae Campaniae,Tac. H. 3, 77.
* To set about, devote one's self to, to begin with zeal; with inf.: tribuni orare dictatorem insistunt, ut, etc., Liv. 8, 35, 2: Appium institit sequi,id. 25, 19, 8; 24, 26, 11; 24, 46, 1; cf.: postero die ad spolia legenda foedamque spectandam stragem insistunt,id. 22, 51, 5: flagitare senatus institit Coruntum, ut,Cic. Fam. 10, 16, 1. — Absol.: sic institit ore,i. e. began to speak,Verg. A. 12, 47; cf.: sic insistit secumque corde volutat,i. e. to reflect, think,id. ib. 4, 533.
* To persevere, continue, persist in; with inf.: credere,Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 53: tueri,Nep. Att. 11.—With dat.: sin crudelitati insisteret,Tac. A. 16, 25: spei,id. H. 2, 46: caedibus,id. A. 2, 21: studiis,to pursue diligently,Quint. 1, 12, 10: obsidioni,Curt. 7, 6, 23: curae rerum,Plin. 28, 1, 1, § 2: funeri,to set forward,id. 7, 52, 53, § 177. — Absol.: importune,to persist,Cic. Ac. 2, 25, 80; Tac. A. 4, 60.
* To press upon, urge; with dat.: atriensibus ut supellectilem exponant,Col. 12, 3, 9: id bellum ipsis institit moenibus,was at,Liv. 2, 51, 2.—Absol.: dilataque tempora taedae Institerant,were at hand,Ov. M. 9, 769: institit quantum potuit ut illum ex eorum manibus liberaret,urged, insisted,Aug. in Psa. 63, 4.
* To dwell upon, delay at, treat or consider at length: ut si singulis insistere velim, progredi iste non possit,Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 74, § 172: insistendum ei (arbori) paulum,Plin. 13, 16, 30, § 100: profuit adsidue vitiis insistere amicae,Ov. R. Am. 315.

s. TLL