stanching

Verb

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

1. (US, especially, poetic, transitive, otherwise archaic) To stop the flow of (water or some other liquid).
   • I will couer the depe vpon him, I will ſtaunch his floudes, and the greate waters ſhalbe reſtrayned.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Ezechiel xxxj:[15]...

   Synonyms:

   estop, stopple

   1. (US, especially, poetic, transitive, otherwise archaic) To stop the flow of (blood); also, to stop (a wound) from bleeding.
      • A small amount of cotton can be stuffed into the nose to stanch the flow of blood if necessary.
   2. (US, especially, poetic, transitive, otherwise archaic) To make (a building or other structure) watertight or weatherproof.
      • His gathered sticks to stanch the wall / Of the snow-tower, when snow should fall; […]1847, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Threnody”, in Poems, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, →OCLC, page 240
2. (US, especially, transitive) To check or stop, or deter (an action).
   • [W]hy ſhould a man refuſe the glad tydings of ſalutation, or ſtop his eares at the voyce of the skilfull charmer, becauſe the meſſenger that brings the tydings, is ouertaken vvith ſome knovvne ſinne? Or becauſe hee that charmeth, ſtancheth not the iſſue of his ovvne corruption?1612 January 13 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Thomas Sutton, “Englands Summons. Hosea 4. 1, 2, 3.”, in Englands First and Second Summons. Two Sermons Preached at Pauls Crosse, […], 3rd edition...
   1. (US, especially, transitive) To stop the progression of (an illness); also, to alleviate (pain); often followed by of: to relieve (someone's) pain.
      • It [squill] ſtancheth the ache of the ſtomack⸝ it helpeth digeſtion⸝ and maketh a man well colored.1562, Wylliam Turner [i.e., William Turner], “Of the Sea Unyon Called Squilla”, in The Second Parte of Guilliam Turners Herball⸝ […], Cologne: […] Arnold Birckman, →OCLC, folio 131, recto
3. (US, especially, obsolete, transitive) To extinguish or put out (as a fire, anger, etc.); also, to quench or satisfy (as desire, hunger, thirst, etc.).
   • [A]s an angry Cur / Snarles vvhile he feeds, ſo vvill I ſeize and ſtanch / The hunger of my love on this proud beauty, / And leave the ſcraps for Slaves.1679, [John] Dryden, [Nathaniel] Lee, Oedipus: A Tragedy. […], London: […] R. Bentley and M. Magnes […], →OCLC, Act I, pages 6–7

See all 10 meanings of stanch