(1)坚持 (continue to do sth firmly in spite of opposition or warning) [I， I+prep(in/with)]： He couldn't find a job for a long time but he～ed and now he's a shop assistant. 他好长时间找不到工作，但一直坚持找，现在是一个售货员。If you～， you will succeed. 如果你坚持下去，就会成功。～in the denial/one's refusal to do sth/one's efforts to get a college education/a belief/the troublesome behaviour 坚持否认/拒绝做某事/努力获取高等教育/一信念/令人讨厌的行为;～in believing that one can win/one is being persecuted 坚持认为自己能赢/自己受到迫害;He is still～ing with his demands/the policy of conciliation. 他仍在坚持自己的要求/和解政策。～in interrupting sb 不停地打断某人的话;〖同〗continue，persevere，insist; 〖反〗surrender，stop，cease;

(2)继续存在下去，持续(continue to exist) [I]： The rain～ed so the tennis match was cancelled. 雨不停地下，结果网球比赛取消了。The smell～ed even after we had cleaned the room. 这种气味甚至在我们把房间打扫过之后仍然不散。The fog is likely to～in most areas. 大多数地区很可能持续有雾。The flowers～ed even in the driest weather. 即使在最干燥的气候里，这些花也会开放。〖同〗last，endure，remain，continue; 〖反〗die，fade;

→per′sistence n 坚持不懈;持续;per′sistent adj 坚持不懈的;持续不断的;经常发生的;per′sistently adv 坚持不懈地;一再地;

【辨异】persist与continue、endure和last²的区别见CONTINUE。