Literary notes about Stanch (AI summary)
In literature, the term "stanch" is employed in two primary ways. It is used adjectivally to depict unwavering loyalty or firmness—illustrated by characters described as stalwart supporters or friends, as in being a "stanch Whig" ([1]) or a "stanch friend" ([2], [3]). Simultaneously, "stanch" functions as a verb, denoting the act of stopping the flow of fluid, particularly blood, in contexts ranging from medical emergencies to battlefield injuries, as illustrated by the efforts to "stanch the flow of blood" in various narratives ([4], [5], [6]). Together, these dual usages enrich literary portrayals by highlighting both the steadfast character of individuals and the tangible action of arresting a physical loss.
- The doctor had hitherto been a stanch Whig; but now he exerted all his energies for the defeat of Mr. Sands.
— from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself by Harriet A. Jacobs - I can trust her to be a true and loyal friend, and it will be a comfort to me to think that Muriel has anyone so stanch and steady on whom to depend.
— from The Nicest Girl in the School: A Story of School Life by Angela Brazil - Friend more stanch and loving had not David in Jonathan than I in him.
— from The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages by Charles Reade - It is hard to stanch wounds inflicted by a god.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana - Then she climbed upon the pile and took her sister in her arms and sought to stanch the flowing blood.
— from The Girls' Book of Famous Queens by Lydia Hoyt Farmer - His side had been laid open by a sword-cut, and he was trying, but very feebly, because he was already a dead man, to stanch the flow of blood.
— from The Capsina: An Historical Novel by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson
