Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - Stanch

WORD OF THE DAY January 13, 2018

stanch    verb | STAUNCH     Definition   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   Scroll down for more about stanch       WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE   Winter Words Quiz   Winter has returned along with cold weather. Wrap yourself in a blanket and challenge yourself with our 14-question quiz about words relating to winter.     PLAY NOW     Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try!  TAKE ME THERE     Plus:   SEE WHAT LOOKUPS ARE TRENDING NOW!         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.     Examples of STANCH   The company's CEO gave the keynote address at the convention, stanching rumors that he was not recovering well from his surgery.   "Firefighters watched the smoke and assessed wind patterns, raking dead leaves and branches away from the blaze in hopes of stanching its charge once again." — Alissa Greenberg, The Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2017   Name That Synonym   Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of stanch meaning "to make watertight": c _ _ lk.   VIEW THE ANSWER           WORDS AT PLAY     10 Words for 'Snow'   Because 200 seemed like overkill   SEE THE FULL LIST

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