▪ I. staunch, stanch, a.
(stɔːnʃ, stɑːnʃ, -æ-)
Forms: (5 stawnche, staunche), 6–7 stanche, (6 stantche), 5– stanch, 7– staunch.
[a. OF. estanche fem. of estanc (mod.F. étanche of both genders) corresp. to Sp. estanco, Pg. estanque water-tight, It. stanco exhausted, weary, f. Com. Rom. *stancare: see stanch v.
The spelling staunch and the associated pronunciation are in British use much the more common for the adj., while for the related verb the form stanch (stɑːnʃ, -æ-) is preferred.]
1. Impervious to water, not leaking; water-tight. Also occas. air-tight.
| 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 652 Þe schip..was so stawnche it myȝt no water lade. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xii. 305 In bechen baskettis men saue also This fruyt, so they [with cley] be staunche ywrie. 1531 Charterparty in R. G. Marsden Sel. Pl. Crt. Adm. (1894) 37 The sayd owner shall warrant the sayd shypp stronge stanche well and sufficientlye vitalled. 1569 Southampton Court Leet Rec. (1905–6) I. 57 The seastron in gossling Lane..is not stantche for that the water breaketh oute. 1633 T. James Voy. 7 We sayed the pumps, and found her stanch. 1660 Boyle New Exp. Phys. Mech. xv. 102 What we endeavored in vaine, may be performed by..some other Virtuoso that shall have stancher Vessells then we had. 1667 ― in Phil. Trans. II. 584 We found all had not continued so stanch, but that some small portion of Air had insinuated it self into the Receiver. 1726 Swift Gulliver ii. i, Our Ship was staunch, and our Crew all in good Health. 1776 G. Semple Building in Water 46 Our Coffer-dam..which we began to despair of ever getting made even tolerably stanch. 1856 Kane Arctic Expl. II. xxix. 296 The Mariane, a stanch but antiquated little barque. 1870 Bryant Iliad I. iii. 82 Crossing the deep in thy stanch ships. |
† b. fig. (Cf. the phrase to hold water.)
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. ii. 117 Yet if I knew, What Hoope should hold vs staunch[,] from edge to edge Ath' world I would persue it. a 1641 Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. (1642) 100 Which [interpretation] cannot hold stanch possibly, as in termes it is proposed by him. |
† 2. Of blood: Not flowing out. Obs. rare.
| 1673 Phil. Trans. VIII. 6052 The pledgets being then thrown off, the blood continued staunch, and the mouths of the Arteries remained close. |
3. Of strong or firm construction, in good or firm condition, substantial.
| 1455–6 Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) I. 290 The sayd Jhon shall repeyre sayd towyr..and so to kepe hite up styf and stanch duryng the terme forsayde. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 64 Doubtles a stanch and solid peece of framework, as any January could freeze together. 1692 Ray Discourses i. iii. (1693) 19 The foresaid new-raised Mountain..hath stood firm and staunch, without the least sinking or subsidency, for above an hundred and fifty years. a 1706 Evelyn Diary 23 July 1679, The house a stanch good old building. Ibid., One of the closetts is parquetted with plaine deale, set in diamond, exceeding stanch and pretty. 1864 Skeat tr. Uhland's Poems 357 'Gainst whom is shivered the staunchest brand. 1870 Hawthorne Eng. Note-Bks. (1879) II. 36 The wall of the tower is still stanch and strong. |
† 4. Restrained in behaviour, guarded, reserved.
| [1623: see staunchness.] a 1677 Barrow Serm. (1687) I. xiii. 186 Commonly such as are greatly staunch in other enjoyments of pleasure, are enormously intemperate in speaking, and very incontinent of their Tongue. Ibid. I. xxi. 296 It is good to be very staunch and cautious of talking about other men and their concernments. |
† b. quasi-adv. ? Strictly. Obs.
| 1693 Locke Educ. §107 (1699) 186 This is to be kept very stanch, and carefully to be watched. |
5. Of a sporting dog: That may be trusted to find or follow the scent, or to mark the game; dependable.
| 1576 Turberv. Venerie xl. (1908) 112 Vntill they haue rowzed or founde him againe with their bloudhounde, or with some other stanche old hounde of the kenell. 1616 Bullokar, Stanchhound, an old hound well experienced. 1668 Davenant Rivals iv, The Dogs..by that silence soon their fault confess'd, Most of e'm were Stanch-Hounds. 1677 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. (ed. 2) 110 Let such as you cast off at first be old staunch-Hounds, which are sure. 1735 Somerville Chase iv. 125 With these consort The stanch and steddy Sages of thy Pack. 1810 Scott Lady of L. i. vii, For, scarce a spear's length from his haunch, Vindictive toil'd the bloodhounds stanch. 1842 J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) I. 151 Two excellent double-barrelled guns, and three staunch pointers. 1883 Century Mag. Aug. 492 A dog that..is stanch on a covey. |
| transf. 1686 R. Blome Gentl. Recreat. ii. 29 Old staunch Hawks should have more rest. 1835 W. Irving Tour Prairies 290 Our half-breeds displayed that quickness of eye, in following up a track, for which Indians are so noted. Beatte, especially, was staunch as a veteran hound. |
6. Of a person: Standing firm and true to one's principles or purpose, not to be turned aside, determined.
| 1623 Massinger Bondman i. iii, Yet, tho' he obserue, and waste his state vpon vs, If he be stanch and bid not for the stocke That we were borne to traffick with; the truth is We care not for his company. 1678 Dryden All for Love iii. i, O, he's the coolest Murderer, so stanch, He kills, and keeps his temper. 1678 Phillips (ed. 4), s.v., So a man of Credit and Reputation, and well to pass in the World, is usually called a Stanch-man. 1689 Prior Ep. Fleetwood Shephard 133 In Politicks, I hear, you'r stanch. 1710 Hearne Collect. 24 Feb. (O.H.S.) II. 348 He is a stanch Whigg. 1742 Blair Grave 364 The Foe, Like a stanch Murth'rer steady to his Purpose, Pursues her close through ev'ry Lane of Life. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 492 And you are staunch indeed in learning's cause. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. ii. vii. (1848) 143 He was stanch, however, to church and king. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) 11 My tried staunch friend, Sir Matthew Chase. 1841 Dickens Barn. Rudge vi, You, who from a girl have had a strong mind and a staunch heart. 1868 E. Edwards Ralegh I. x. 182 The toil..began..to wear down the strength if not the spirit of the stanchest. 1879 Froude Cæsar xv. 249 Those who ought to have been staunch have fallen away. |
b. Of personal qualities, actions, etc.: Showing determination or resolution, unwavering.
| 1690 R. Lucas Humane Life 239 Riper years..should bring on naturally wiser and stancher thoughts. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. vii, The vengeance they had prosecuted with such stanch and sagacious activity. 1823 ― Quentin D. xxxvii, De la Marck might have effected his escape..but for the stanch pursuit of Quentin. 1883 A. Forbes in 19th Cent. Oct. 720 Their devotion to their sovereign is staunch. |
7. Comb., as staunch-hearted adj.
| 1838 Dickens O. Twist iii, There ain't a stauncher⁓hearted gal. |
Hence ˈstaunchly, ˈstanchly adv.; ˈstaunchness, ˈstanchness.
| 1825 Cobbett Rur. Rides 291, I had him a puppy, and he never had any breaking, but he pointed staunchly at once. 1848 Dickens Dombey xx, There never was a man who stood by a friend more staunchly than the Major. 1862 Thornbury Turner II. 142 The terms once made, he was true, undeviating, and stanchly honest. 1899 F. T. Bullen Log Sea-waif 252 She must have been staunchly built. |
| 1623 Conway in Hacket's Life Abp. Williams (1693) i. 157 His Majesty would not that you should press him for a Note of his Hand for Secresie and Stanchness. 1669 Boyle Contn. New Exp. i. i. 3 Having once, to try the stanchnesse of the viol, blown in so much Air..that [etc.]. 1702 S. Parker tr. Cicero's De Finibus i. 11 As to the Truth and Stanchness of his Affections I cannot suppose you'll pretend to dispute it. 1776 G. Semple Building in Water 46 We made the first Trial of our Coffer-dam..and proved its Stanchness several Times. 1826 in Sheridaniana 308 The extraordinary staunchness of a cross-bred setter. 1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. iv. (1875) 165 The stanchness which the religious aspirant needs. |
▪ II. staunch, n. and v.
see stanch.