This is the 5664th most frequent Russian word.
прекращать
To stop or cease.
The verb 'прекращать' here means to stop a continuous action, with 'курить' being the action to discontinue.
Я решил прекращать курить, так как это вредно для моего здоровья.
I decided to stop smoking because it is detrimental to my health.
In this context, 'прекращать' is used as an imperative request to cease ongoing actions, 'разговоры' being the action.
Во время урока учитель попросил нас прекращать разговоры.
During the lesson, the teacher asked us to stop talking.
Here, 'прекращать' emphasizes the need to put an end to recurring disputes, ensuring harmony.