• (RP) IPA: /stɑːnt͡ʃ/
• (GA) IPA: /stænt͡ʃ/

stanch (stanches, present participle stanching; past and past participle stanched)

1. (transitive) To stop the flow of.

   A small amount of cotton can be stuffed into the nose to stanch the flow of blood if necessary.

   • 1626, Francis Bacon, Sylva Sylvarum, Or, A Naturall Historie: In Ten Centuries

     Iron or a stone laid to the neck doth stanch the bleeding of the nose.

     Beijing devotes immense resources to restricting access for and stanching scrutiny from international groups and reporters.

2. (intransitive) To cease, as the flowing of blood.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Luke 8:44 ↗:

     Immediately her issue of blood stanched.

3. (transitive) To prop; to make stanch, or strong.

   • His gathered sticks to stanch the wall / Of the snow tower when snow should fall.

4. To extinguish; to quench, as fire or thirst.

• Russian: остана́вливать

stanch (plural stanches)

1. That which stanches or checks a flow.
2. A floodgate by which water is accumulated, for floating a boat over a shallow part of a stream by its release.

stanch (comparative stancher, superlative stanchest)

1. Strong and tight; sound; firm.

   a stanch ship

   • One of the closets is parqueted with plain deal, set in diamond, exceeding stanch and pretty.

2. Firm in principle; constant and zealous; loyal; hearty; steadfast.

   a stanch churchman; a stanch friend or adherent

   • In politics I hear you're stanch.

3. Close; secret; private.
   • 1693, [John Locke], “§107”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], OCLC 1161614482 ↗:

     this is to be kept very stanch