[ad. mod.L. armistitium, f. L. arma arms + -stitium stopping, f. sistĕre, -stitum, to stop, as in interstitium, jūstitium, sōlstitium. Cf. also F. armistice: see quot.]
[1664. Gouldman, Dict., Armistitium … a cessation from arms for a time, a short truce.
1688. Miége, Fr. Dict., Armistice [marked † as ‘not current in any style’].
1699. Treaty of Carlowitz, in Rycaut, Hist. Turks, III. 572. Duret armistitium hocce.]
1. A cessation from arms; a short truce.
1707. in Gloss. Angl. Nova.
1727–51. in Chambers, Cycl., Armistitium.
a. 1733. North, Exam., III. vi. ¶ 64. Much of which Time was Armistice or Cessation, when all the Parties, instead of fighting, fell to intriguing.
1813. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., X. 443. I do not think that the Russians and Prussians can agree to the armistice without submitting entirely.
2. fig. A cessation from hostile proceedings.
1841. Brewster, Martyrs Sc., V. (1856), 68. The leader of the philosophic band had broken the most solemn armistice with the Inquisition.
