Word of the Day

: October 7, 2009

stanch

verb STAUNCH

What It Means

1 : to check or stop the flowing of; also : to stop the flow of blood from (a wound)

2 a : to stop or check in its course

b : to make watertight : stop up

stanch in Context

The company's CEO gave the keynote address at the convention, stanching rumors that he was not recovering well from his surgery.

Did You Know?

The verb "stanch" has a lot in common with the adjective "staunch," meaning "steadfast." Not only do both words derive from the Anglo-French word "estancher" (which has the same meaning as "stanch"), but the spelling "s-t-a-n-c-h" is sometimes used for the adjective, and the spelling "s-t-a-u-n-c-h" is sometimes used for the verb. Although both spelling variants have been in reputable use for centuries and both are perfectly standard for either the verb or adjective, "stanch" is the form used most often for the verb and "staunch" is the most common variant for the adjective.