persist
                            // persists, persisting, persisted
                      1
                            If something undesirable persists, it continues to exist.
                            Political differences still persist.
                            The pain persisted until the morning.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       VB
                      2
                            If you persist in doing something, you continue to do it, even though it is difficult or other
                            people oppose you.
                            People still persist in thinking that standards are going down.
                            He persisted with his policy of conciliation.
                            `And what,' persisted Casson, `is to prevent us?'
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       VB