stanch

English

Alternative forms

• staunch

Etymology

From Old French estanchier (“to stanch”), origin uncertain, possibly from Vulgar Latin *stanticāre (“to stop”), from Latin stāre, present active infinitive of stō (“I stand”). See also staunch.

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To stop the flow of.

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

   • Francis Bacon

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

2. (intransitive) To cease, as the flowing of blood.
   • Bible, Luke viii. 44

     Immediately her issue of blood stanched.

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

     His gathered sticks to stanch the wall / Of the snow tower when snow should fall.

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

Translations

To stop the flow of

• Maori: uka, (refers to blood), pāpuni

• 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.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)

Adjective

stanch (comparative stancher, superlative stanchest)

1. Strong and tight; sound; firm.

   a stanch ship

   • Evelyn

     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

   • Prior

     In politics I hear you're stanch.

3. Close; secret; private.
   • John Locke

     this to be kept stanch

Anagrams

• chanst, chants, snatch