staunched

Adjective

staunch (comparative stauncher, superlative staunchest)

1. Not permitting water or some other liquid to escape or penetrate; watertight.
   • Yet if I knevv, / VVhat Hoope ſhould hold vs ſtaunch from edge to edge / Ath'vvorld [of the world]: I vvould perſue it.c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard...
   1. (broadly) Impermeable to air or other gases; airtight.
      • [T]vvas very difficult to procure a Bladder ſmall and fine enough for that litle Cylinder; and that one, vvhich at length vve procured, vvould not continue ſtanch for many Tryals, but vvould after a vvhile part vvith a litle Air in the vvell exhauſted Receiver, vvhen tvvas clog'd vvith the utmoſt...1669, Robert Boyle, “Experiment XLVII. About an Attempt Made to Measure the Force of the Spring of Included Air, and Examine a Conjecture about the Difference of Its Strength in Unequally Broad...
2. Strongly built; also, in good or strong condition.
   • Hovv goodly, and hovv to be vviſht vvere ſuch an obedient unanimity as this, vvhat a fine conformity vvould it ſtarch us all into? doubtles a ſtanch and ſolid peece of frame-vvork, as any January could freeze together.1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 27
3. (figuratively) Staying true to one's aims or principles; firm, resolute, unswerving.
   • Without our staunch front line the enemy would have split the regiment.

   Synonyms:

   constant, determined, persistent, steadfast, unwavering, unyielding, unswerving

4. (figuratively) Dependable, loyal, reliable, trustworthy.
   • He’s been a staunch supporter of mine through every election.
   1. (figuratively) Of a hunting dog: that can be depended on to pick up the scent of, or to mark, game.
      • [T]he horſemen & huntſmen ſhould blemiſh at ſuch places as they ſee the Hart enter into a thicket or couert to the end that if the hounds fall to change, they may return to thoſe blemiſhes, and put their hounds to the right ſlot and view, vntill they haue rowzed or found him againe with their...1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Certaine Observations and Subtleties to be Used by Huntsmen in Hunting an Hart at Force”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London...

See all 12 meanings of staunch