Lewis & Short

per-sto, stĭti, stātum (fut. part. perstaturus, Liv. 8, 34, 4), 1, v. n., to stand firmly, continue standing.

  1. I. Lit. (rare): frenatis equis equites diem totum perstabant, Liv. 44, 33 fin.: exercitus a mane usque ad horam X. diei perstiterunt, Auct. B Afr. 61 in limine, Tib. 1, 5, 71.
    1. B. Transf., to remain steadfast or constant, to last, endure: nihil est toto quod perstet in orbe: cuncta fluunt, Ov. M. 15, 177; id. H. 18, 206: laurea flaminibus, quae toto perstitit anno, Tollitur, id. F. 3, 137: rabies, Luc. 5, 210.
  2. II. Trop., to stand fast or firm, to hold out, continue, persevere, persist in any thing (class.; syn.: persevero, permaneo); usually constr. with in and abl.: negant posse, et in eo perstant, Cic. Off. 3, 9, 39: in pravitate, id. Ac. 2, 8, 26: in impudentiā, id. Rosc. Com. 9, 26: in sententiā, id. ib. 18, 56; Caes. B. G. 7, 26; Liv. 37, 52, 10: in incepto, id. 8, 33, 6 Drak. N. cr.; 8, 34, 4; 10, 13, 10: in pertinaci simulatione inopiae, id. 38, 14, 13: in bello, Just. 14, 3, 5: in iisdem dictis, Val. Fl. 4, 143.
    Impers. pass.: ut in decreto perstaretur, Liv. Epit. 49: si perstaretur in bello, Tac. A. 13, 37: optimates in Romanā societate perstandum censebant, Liv. 37, 9.
          1. (β) Absol.: nunc quoque mens eadem perstat mihi, Verg. A. 5, 812: talia perstabat memorans, id. ib. 2, 650: persta atque obdura, Hor. S. 2, 5, 39: perstitit Narcissus, persisted in his determination, Tac. A. 11, 29.
          2. (γ) With inf.: aut pertinacissimus fueris, si perstiteris ad corpus ea, quae dixi, referre, Cic. Fin. 2, 33, 107 Madv. ad loc. 3 (B. and K.; al. perstiteris in eo): persto condere semen humo, Ov. P. 1, 5, 34: perstas non cedere terris, Val. Fl. 7, 58; Tac. A. 4, 38, 3.