\Con*sist"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Consisted}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Consisting}.] [L. consistere to stand still or firm;
con- + sistere to stand, cause to stand, stare to stand: cf.
F. consister. See {Stand}.]
1. To stand firm; to be in a fixed or permanent state, as a
   body composed of parts in union or connection; to hold
   together; to be; to exist; to subsist; to be supported and
   maintained.
         He is before all things, and by him all things
         consist.                              --Col. i. 17.
2. To be composed or made up; -- followed by of.
         The land would consist of plains and valleys. --T.
                                               Burnet.
3. To have as its substance or character, or as its
   foundation; to be; -- followed by in.
         If their purgation did consist in words. --Shak.
         A man's life consisteth not in the abudance of the
         things which he possesseth.           --Luke xii.
                                               15.
4. To be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; --
   formerly used absolutely, now followed by with.
         This was a consisting story.          --Bp. Burnet.
         Health consists with temperance alone. --Pope.
         For orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but
         well consist.                         --Milton.
5. To insist; -- followed by on. [Obs.] --Shak.
Syn: {To Consist}, {Consist of}, {Consist in}.
Usage: The verb consist is employed chiefly for two purposes,
       which are marked and distinguished by the prepositions
       used. When we wish to indicate the parts which unite
       to compose a thing, we use of; as when we say,
       ``Macaulay's Miscellanies consist chiefly of articles
       which were first published in the Edinburgh Review.''
       When we wish to indicate the true nature of a thing,
       or that on which it depends, we use in; as, ``There
       are some artists whose skill consists in a certain
       manner which they have affected.'' ``Our safety
       consists in a strict adherence to duty.''