stem
Cross references:
1. spring
1. stem \'stem\ n [ME, fr. OE stefn, stemn stem of a plant or ship; OE
stefn ak]in to OE stf staff; OE stemn akin to OE standan to stand 1a:
the main trunk of a tree or other plant; specif : a primary pla nt axis
that develops buds and shoots instead of roots 1b: a plant part (as a
branch, petiole, or stipe) that supports another (as a leaf or fruit) 1c:
a bunch of bananas 1d: the bow or prow of a ship 2: a line of ancestry :
STOCK; esp : a fundamental line fro m which others have arisen 3: the part
of an inflected word that remains unchanged except by phonetic changes or
variations throughout an inflection 4: something felt to resemble a plant
stem : as 4a: a main or heavy stroke of a letter; also : BODY 4b: the
short perpendicular line extending from the head of a musical note 4c: the
part of a tobacco pipe from the bowl outward 4d: the cylindrical support
of a piece of stemware (as a goblet) 4e: a shaft of a watch : THROUGHOUT,
THOROUGHLY - from stem to stern
2. stem vt or stemmed; or stem.ming 1: to make headway against (as an
adverse tide, current, or wind) 2: to check or progress against (something
adverse) {stemming the angry crowd} - stem.mer n
3. stem vb or stemmed; or stem.ming : to have or trace an origin or
development : DERIVE 1: to remove the stem from 2: to make stems for -
stem.mer n
4. stem vb or stemmed; or stem.ming [ME stemmen to dam up, fr. ON stemma;
akin to OE stamerian to] stammer 1: to stop, check, or restrain by or as if
by damming 2: to turn (skis) in stemming 1: to restrain or check oneself;
also : to become checked or stanc hed 2: to retard oneself by forcing the
heel of one ski or of both skis outwar d from the line of progress
5. stem n 1: CHECK, DAM 2: an act or instance of stemming on skis
Webster's English Dictionary