Stem-winder \Stem"-wind`er\, n. 1. A stem-winding watch. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] 2. Hence: (Fig.) Anything of superior quality, as was attributed to the stem-winding watch; -- esp. used to describe a stirring speech, as in the phrase "a stem-winder of a speech" or "delivered a stem-winder". [PJC]