cessavam

Cessavam is the third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Portuguese verb cessar, which means to cease, stop, or desist. The form is used to describe ongoing or repeated cessation in the past, as opposed to a completed cessation expressed by cessaram.

In terms of grammar, cessar is a regular -ar verb, and cessavam is produced by attaching the imperfect ending to the stem cess- (cess- + avan/avam pattern common to the imperfect). It is commonly used with sujeito plural such as eles or elas, or with a clearly plural subject implied in the sentence. Examples include: “As negociações cessavam” (The negotiations were ceasing) and “As hostilidades cessavam” (The hostilities were slowing down). The imperfect tense, including cessavam, is frequent in narrative and descriptive past contexts to convey a continuing or gradual action.

Etymology and related forms: cessar derives from the Latin cessare, meaning to be at rest or to cease. Related terms in Portuguese include cessação (cessation), cessa (imperative form for you stop), and the noun cessação do fogo (cessation of fire). The word forms a family around stopping actions, with other tenses and moods expressing completed stops or imagined possibilities.

In summary, cessavam is a standard grammatical form used to describe past, ongoing cessation by a plural subject, rooted in the verb cessar and its Latin origin.