[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

consist \consist"\ ko^nsi^st", 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.
      1913 webster

            he is before all things, and by him all things
            consist.                              --col. i. 17.
      1913 webster

   2. to be composed or made up; -- followed by of.
      1913 webster

            the land would consist of plains and valleys. --t.
                                                  burnet.
      1913 webster

   3. to have as its substance or character, or as its
      foundation; to be; -- followed by in.
      1913 webster

            if their purgation did consist in words. --shak.
      1913 webster

            a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
            things which he possesseth.           --luke xii.
                                                  15.
      1913 webster

   4. to be consistent or harmonious; to be in accordance; --
      formerly used absolutely, now followed by with.
      1913 webster

            this was a consisting story.          --bp. burnet.
      1913 webster

            health consists with temperance alone. --pope.
      1913 webster

            for orders and degrees
            jar not with liberty, but well consist. --milton.
      1913 webster

   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."
          1913 webster consistence
see also:
consisted consisting stand to consist consist of consist in 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

consist
     v 1: originate in; "the problems dwell in the social injustices
          in this country" syn: dwell, lie, belong, lie in
     2: have its essential character; be comprised or contained in;
        be embodied in; "the payment consists in food"; "what does
        love consist in?"
     3: be consistent in form, tenor, or character; be congruous;
        "desires are to be satisfied only so far as consists with
        an approved end"
     4: be composed of; "the land he conquered comprised several
        provinces"; "what does this dish consist of?" syn: comprise
see also:
dwell lie belong lie in comprise 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

19 moby thesaurus words for "consist":
   abide, accord, be, comport, conform, consort, correspond, dovetail,
   dwell, exist, fit in, gee, go, inhere, lie, repose, reside, rest,
   subsist

Consist >> C Words
Consist, definition of term: Consist
consist_pag1.html

Consist Of >> C Words
Consist Of, definition of term: Consist Of
consist+of_pag1.html

Consist In >> C Words
Consist In, definition of term: Consist In
consist+in_pag1.html