Lewis & Short

in-sisto, stĭti, 3, v. n., 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.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.
          1. (α) With dat.: nec desunt villae quae secutae fluminis amoenitatem margini insistunt, Plin. Ep. 8, 8, 6: ut proximi jacentibus insisterent, stepped upon them, Caes. B. G. 2, 27: alternis pedibus, Quint. 11, 3, 128: volucres metuunt insistere ramis, Luc. 3, 407: vestigiis, Liv. 25, 33 fin.: huic (saxo) institerat frustra, Ov. F. 5, 150: plantis, Juv. 6, 96: clamoso circo, occupy a place in, id. 9, 144.
          2. (β) With in and abl.: insistebat in manu Cereris dextra simulacrum Victoriae, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 110: cingulus australis, in quo qui insistunt, id. Rep. 6, 20: in jugo, Caes. B. G. 4, 33: ipse non insistere in terra poterat, Curt. 7, 7, 6.
          3. (γ) With in and acc.: in sinistrum pedem, Quint. 11, 3, 125; cf.: corvus repente super galeam insistit, lights, Gell. 9, 11, 7.
          4. (δ) 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.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. 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.
      2. 2. 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.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to follow, pursue.
          1. (α) With acc.: viam domandi, Verg. G. 3, 164: rationem pugnae, plan, Caes. B. G. 3, 14, 3.
          2. (β) With dat.: vestigiis laudum suarum, Liv. 5, 30, 2: honoribus, Plin. Ep. 4, 8, 4.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. 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.
      2. 2. 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.
      3. 3. 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.
      4. 4. 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.
  3. III. 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.
    1. B. 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.