STANCH

stem, stanch, staunch, halt

(verb) stop the flow of a liquid; “staunch the blood flow”; “stem the tide”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

stanch (third-person singular simple present stanches, present participle stanching, simple past and past participle stanched)

(transitive) To stop the flow of.

(intransitive) To cease, as the flowing of blood.

(transitive) To prop; to make stanch, or strong.

To extinguish; to quench, as fire or thirst.

Noun

stanch (plural stanches)

That which stanches or checks a flow.

A floodgate by which water is accumulated, for floating a boat over a shallow part of a stream by its release.

Adjective

stanch (comparative stancher, superlative stanchest)

Strong and tight; sound; firm.

Firm in principle; constant and zealous; loyal; hearty; steadfast.

Close; secret; private.

Anagrams

• chanst, chants, snatch

Source: Wiktionary

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Stanch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stanched; p. pr. & vb. n. Stanching.] Etym: [OF. estanchier, F. étancher to stpo a liquid from flowing; akin to Pr., Sp., & Pg. estancar, It. stancare to weary, LL. stancare, stagnare, to stanch, fr. L. stagnare to be or make stagnant. See Stagnate.]

1. To stop the flowing of, as blood; to check; also, to stop the flowing of blood from; as, to stanch a wound. [Written also staunch.] Iron or a stone laid to the neck doth stanch the bleeding of the nose. Bacon.

2. To extinguish; to quench, as fire or thirst. [Obs.]

Stanch, v. i.

Definition: To cease, as the flowing of blood. Immediately her issue of blood stanched. Luke viii. 44.

Stanch, n.

1. That which stanches or checks. [Obs.]

2. A flood gate by which water is accumulated, for floating a boat over a shallow part of a stream by its release. Knight.

Stanch, a. [Compar. Stancher; superl. Stanchest.] Etym: [From Stanch, v. t., and hence literally signifying, stopped or stayed; cf. Sp. estanco stopped, tight, not leaky, as a ship. See Stanch, v. t.] [Written also staunch.]

1. Strong and tight; sound; firm; as, a stanch ship. One of the closets is parqueted with plain deal, set in diamond, exceeding stanch and pretty. Evelyn.

2. Firm in principle; constant and zealous; loyal; hearty; steady; steadfast; as, a stanch churchman; a stanch friend or adherent. V. Knox. In politics I hear you 're stanch. Prior.

3. Close; secret; private. [Obs.] This to be kept stanch. Locke.

Stanch, v. t.

Definition: To prop; to make stanch, or strong. His gathered sticks to stanch the wall Of the snow tower when snow should fall. Emerson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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