stanch

stanch
    v 1: stop the flow of a liquid; "staunch the blood flow"; "stem
         the tide" [syn: {stem}, {stanch}, {staunch}, {halt}]
    

Stanch \Stanch\ (st[.a]nch), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stanched}
   (st[.a]ncht); p. pr. & vb. n. {Stanching}.] [OF. estanchier,
   F. ['e]tancher to stop 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}.]
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            Iron or a stone laid to the neck doth stanch the
            bleeding of the nose.                 --Bacon.
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   2. To extinguish; to quench, as fire or thirst. [Obs.]
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Stanch \Stanch\, v. t.
   To prop; to make stanch, or strong.
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         His gathered sticks to stanch the wall
         Of the snow tower when snow should fall. --Emerson.
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Stanch \Stanch\, v. i.
   To cease, as the flowing of blood.
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         Immediately her issue of blood stanched. --Luke viii.
                                                  44.
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Stanch \Stanch\, n.
   1. That which stanches or checks. [Obs.]
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   2. A flood gate by which water is accumulated, for floating a
      boat over a shallow part of a stream by its release.
      --Knight.
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Stanch \Stanch\, a. [Compar. {Stancher} (-[~e]r); superl.
   {Stanchest}.] [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.
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            One of the closets is parqueted with plain deal, set
            in diamond, exceeding stanch and pretty. --Evelyn.
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   2. Firm in principle; constant and zealous; loyal; hearty;
      steady; steadfast; as, a stanch churchman; a stanch friend
      or adherent. --V. Knox.
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            In politics I hear you 're stanch.    --Prior.
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   3. Close; secret; private. [Obs.]
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            This is to be kept stanch.            --Locke.
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83 Moby Thesaurus words for "stanch":
      arrest, asphyxiate, bar, bind, block, block up, blockade,
      bottle up, bung, caulk, cease, censor, check, chink, choke,
      choke off, choke up, clamp down on, clog, clog up, congest,
      constipate, cork, cork up, cover, crack down on, crush, dam,
      dam up, damp down, drown, end, extinguish, fill, fill up, foul,
      gag, halt, hold down, jam, jump on, keep down, keep under, kill,
      muzzle, obstipate, obstruct, pack, plug, plug up, pour water on,
      prevent, put down, quash, quell, quench, repress, shut down on,
      silence, sit down on, sit on, smash, smother, spile, squash,
      squelch, staunch, stay, stem, stench, stifle, stop, stop up,
      stopper, stopple, strangle, stuff, stuff up, stultify, subdue,
      suffocate, suppress, throttle