stanch

English

Alternative forms

• staunch

Etymology

From Middle English staunchen (verb) and staunche (adjective), from Old French estanchier (“to stanch”) and estanche, origin uncertain, possibly from Vulgar Latin *stanticō (“to stop”), from Latin stō (“stand”). Compare Spanish estancar. See also staunch.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /stɑːnt͡ʃ/

• Audio (RP)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /stænt͡ʃ/
• Rhymes: -ɑːntʃ, -æntʃ

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To stop the flow of (something).

   A small amount of cotton can be stuffed into the nose to stanch the flow of blood if necessary.

   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “(please specify |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], OCLC 1044372886:

     Iron or a stone laid to the neck doth stanch the bleeding of the nose.

   • 2019, Andrew McCormick, “What It’s Like to Report on Rights Abuses Against Your Own Family”, in The Atlantic‎^[1]:

     Beijing devotes immense resources to restricting access for and stanching scrutiny from international groups and reporters.

2. (intransitive) To cease, as the flowing of blood.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Luke 8:44:

     Immediately her issue of blood stanched.

3. (transitive) To prop; to make stanch, or strong.
   • 1847, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Threnody”, in Poems, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, OCLC 625986, page 240:

     His gathered sticks to stanch the wall / Of the snow-tower, when snow should fall; […]

4. To extinguish; to quench, as fire or thirst.

Usage notes

See staunch > Verb > Usage notes.

Translations

to stop the flow of

• Bulgarian: спирам притока (spiram pritoka)
• Hungarian: elállít (hu)
• Maori: uka, (refers to blood), pāpuni
• Old English: forwrīþan
• Russian: остана́вливать (ru) (ostanávlivatʹ)

Noun

stanch (plural stanches)

1. That which stanches or checks a flow.
2. 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)

1. Strong and tight; sound; firm.

   a stanch ship

   • 1679 August 2 (Gregorian calendar)​, John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 23 July 1679]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], volume I, 2nd edition, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, OCLC 976971842:

     One of the closets is parqueted with plain deal, set in diamond, exceeding stanch and pretty.

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

   a stanch churchman; a stanch friend or adherent

   • 1689, Matthew Prior, an epistle to Fleetwood Shepherd, Esq.

     In politics I hear you're stanch.

3. Close; secret; private.
   • 1693, [John Locke], “§107”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], OCLC 1161614482:

     this is to be kept very stanch

Anagrams

• Chants, chanst, chants, snatch