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About to relax and fizzle out (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

cease

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'fizzle out' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with fundamental existence as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'about to relax' is the wordplay.
'about' becomes 'c' (abbreviation for circa).
'to relax' becomes 'ease' (eg to ease a restriction is to relax it).
'c'+'ease'='CEASE'

'and' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for cease that I've seen before include "Desist" , "Come to an end" , "Stop, terminate" , "Stop, finish" , "Discontinue" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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