noun
- a cessation of hostilities; truce.
- Military. an order issued for a cease-fire.
noun
- a period of truce, esp one that is temporary and a preliminary step to establishing a more permanent peace on agreed terms
interjection, noun
- the order to stop firing
also ceasefire, “a cessation of shooting,” 1916, from verbal phrase cease fire, 1847 as a military command (formerly also signaled by bugles), from cease (v.) + fire (n.) in the gunnery sense. Generally two words until after mid-20c.