The Closing Word: Staunch
This week we continue our vocabulary-building series, “The Closing Word.” Each week we provide a new word to help build your vocabulary and show you an example of how to use it.
This week’s closing word:
Pronounced: (stonch)
Adjective:
firm and dependable especially in loyalty
Verb:
stop the flow of a liquid
From Vocabulary.com: “Staunch is sometimes used as a verb to mean “to stop the flow of a liquid,” but most usage books will tell you it’s better to use the word stanch for the verb. Think of a soldier stopping and standing still, and you will understand the connection between the two meanings. The adjectival form should make you think of “stand,” as in “stand firm,” or “take a stand.” It comes from the French estanche meaning “watertight” and the Latin stanticare, which is probably from stans for “stand.”
Example:
“She was a staunch supporter of making the American dream accessible to everyone, and spent a great deal of time volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.”
