1. Third person singular preterite imperfect of 'desistir-se' (to give up on oneself, to abandon one's efforts)
He gave up on himself and stopped trying.
Ele desistia-se e parava de tentar.
2. Reflexive form indicating abandonment of personal effort or determination
She would give up whenever things got difficult.
Ela desistia-se sempre que as coisas ficavam difíceis.