Emily Dickinson Lexicon

STAMP, n.

1. Any instrument for making impressions on other bodies. 'Tis gold so pure, / It can not bear the stamp without alloy. – Dryden.
2. A mark imprinted; an impression. That sacred name gives ornament and grate, / And, like his stamp, makes basest metals pass. – Dryden.
3. That which is marked; a thing stamped. Hanging a golden stamp about their necks. – Shak.
4. A picture cut in wood or metal, or made by impression; a cut; a plate. At Venice they put out very curious stamps of the several edifices which are most famous for their beauty and magnificence. – Addison.
5. A mark set upon things chargeable with duty to government, as evidence that the duty is paid. We see such stamps on English newspapers.
6. A character of reputation, good or bad, fixed on anything. These persons have the stamp of impiety. The Scriptures bear the stamp of a divine origin.
7. Authority; current value derived from suffrage or attestation. Of the same stamp is that which is obtruded on us, that an adamant suspends the attraction of the lodestone. – Brown.
8. Make; cast; form; character; as, a man of the same stamp, or of a different stamp. Addison.
9. In metallurgy, a kind of pestle raised by a waterwheel for beating ores to powder; any thing like a pestle used for pounding or beating.

STAMP, v.i.

To strike the foot forcibly downward. But starts, exclaims, and stamps, and raves, and dies. – Dennis.

STAMP, v.t. [D. stampen; G. stampfen; Dan. stamper; Sw. stampa; Fr. estamper; It. stampare; Sp. estampar. I know not which is the radical letter, m or p. In a general sense, to strike; to beat; to press. Hence,]

1. To strike or beat forcibly with the bottom of the foot, or, by thrusting the foot downward; as, to stamp the ground. He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground. – Dryden. [In this sense, the popular pronunciation is stamp, with a broad.]
2. To impress with some mark or figure; as, to stamp a plate with arms or initials.
3. To impress; to imprint; to fix deeply; as, to stamp virtuous principles on the heart. [See Enstamp.]
4. To fix a mark by impressing it; as, a notion of the Deity stamped on the mind. God has stomped no original characters on our minds, wherein we may read his being. – Locke.
5. To make by impressing a mark; as, to stamp pieces of silver.
6. To coin; to mint; to form. – Shak.

STAMP'-ACT, n.

An act of the British parliament, imposing a duty on all paper, vellum and parchment used in her American colonies, and declaring all writings of unstamped materials to be null and void. This act roused a general opposition in the colonies, and was one cause of the revolution.

STAMP'-DU-TY, n. [stamp and duty.]

A duty or tax; imposed on paper and parchment, the evidence of the payment of which is a stamp.

STAMP'ED, pp.

Impressed with a mark or figure; coined; imprinted; deeply fixed.

STAMP'ER, n.

An instrument for pounding or stamping.

STAMP'ING, ppr.

Impressing with a mark or figure; coining; imprinting.

STAMP'ING-MILL, n.

An engine used in tin works for breaking or bruising ore.

STAN, a. [-STAN.]

As a termination, is said to have expressed the superlative degree; as in Athelstan, most noble; Dunstan, the highest. But qu. Stan, in Saxon, is stone.

STANCH, a. [This is the same word as the foregoing, the primary sense of which is to set; hence the sense of firmness.]

1. Sound; firm; strong and tight; as, a stanch ship.
2. Firm in principle; steady; constant and zealous; hearty; as, a stanch churchman; a stanch republican; a stanch friend or adherent. In politics I hear you're stanch. – Prior.
3. Strong; not to be broken. – Shak.
4. Firm; close. This is to be kept stanch. – Locke. A stanch hound, is one that follows the scent closely without error or remissness.

STANCH, v.i.

To stop, as blood; to cease to flow. Immediately the issue of her blood stanched. – Luke viii.

STANCH, v.t. [Fr. etancher; Arm. stançoa; Sp. and Port. estancar, to stop, to stanch, to be overtired; It. stancare, to weary; Sp. and Port. estancia, a stay or dwelling for a time, an abode, and a stanza; Sp. estanco, a stop; hence, Fr. etang, a pond, and Eng. tank.]

In a general sense, to stop; to set or fix; but applied only to the -blood; to stop the flowing of blood. Cold applications to the neck will often stanch the bleeding of the nose. – Bacon.

STANCH'ED, pp.

Stopped or restrained from flowing.

STANCH'ER, n.

He or that which stops the flowing of blood.

STANCH'ING, ppr.

Stopping the flowing of blood.

STANCH'ION, n. [Fr. etançon; Arm. stançonnu and stanconni, to prop. See Stanch.]

A prop or support; a piece of timber in the form of a stake or post, used for a support. In ship-building, stanchions of wood or iron are of different forms, and are used to support the deck, the quarter rails, the nettings, awnings and the like. – Mar. Dict.

STANCH'LESS, a.

That can not be stanched or stopped. – Shak.

STANCH'NESS, n.

Soundness; firmness in principle; closeness of adherence.

STAND, n. [Sans. stana, a place, a mansion, state, &c.]

1. A stop; a halt; as, to make a stand; to come to a stand; either in walking or in any progressive business. The horse made a stand, when he charged them and routed them. – Clarendon.
2. A station; a place or post where one stands; or a place convenient for persons to remain for any purpose. The sellers of fruit have their several stands in the market. I took my stand upon an eminence. – Spectator.
3. Rank; post; station. Father, since your fortune did attain / So high a stand, I mean not to descend. – Daniel. [In lieu of this, standing is now used. He is a man of high standing in his own country.]
4. The act of opposing. We have come off / Like Romans; neither foolish in our stands, / Nor cowardly in retire. – Shak.
5. The highest point; or the ultimate point of progression, where a stop is made, and regressive motion commences. The population of the world will not come to a stand, while the means of subsistence can be obtained. The prosperity of the Roman empire came to a stand in the reign of Augustus; after which it declined. Vice is at stand, and at the highest flow. – Dryden.
6. A young tree, usually reserved when the other trees are cut. [English.]
7. A small table; as a candle-stand; or any frame on which vessels and utensils may be laid.
8. In commerce, a weight of from two hundred and a half to three hundred of pitch. – Encyc.
9. Something on which a thing rests or is laid; as, a hay-stand.
10. The place where a witness stands to testify in court. Stand of arms, in military affairs, a musket with its usual appendages, as a bayonet, cartridge-box, &c. Marshall. To be at a stand, to stop on account of some doubt or difficulty; hence, to be perplexed; to be embarrassed; to hesitate what to determine, or what to do.

STAND, v.i. [pret. and pp. stood. Sax. standan; Goth. standan. This verb, if from the root of G. stehen, D. staaen; Dan. staaer, Sw. stå; Sans. sta, L. sto, is a derivative from the noun, which is formed from the participle of the original verb. In this case, the noun should properly precede the verb. It may be here remarked that if stan is the radical word, stand and L. sto, can not he from the same stock. But stand in the pret. is stood, and sto forms steti. This induces a suspicion that stan is not the root of stand, but that n is casual. I am inclined however to believe these words to be from different roots. The Russ. stoyu, to stand, is the L. sto, but it signifies also to be, to exist, being the substantive verb. So in It. stare, Sp. and Port. estar.]

1. To be upon the feet, as an animal; not to sit, kneel or lie. The absolution to be pronounced by the priest alone, standing. – Com. Prayer. And the king turned his face about and blessed all the congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood. – 1 Kings viii.
2. To be erect, supported by the roots, as a tree or other plant. Notwithstanding the violence of the wind, the tree yet stands.
3. To be on its foundation; not to be overthrown or demolished; as, an old castle is yet standing.
4. To be placed or situated; to have a certain position or location. Paris stands on the Seine. London stands on the Thames.
5. To remain upright, in a moral sense; not to fall. To stand or fall, / Free in thy own arbitrament it lies. – Milton.
6. To become erect. Mute and amaz'd, my hair with horror stood. – Dryden.
7. To stop; to halt; not to proceed. I charge thee, stand, / And tell thy name. – Dryden.
8. To stop; to be at a stationary point. Say, at what part of nature will they stand? – Pope.
9. To be in a state of fixedness; hence, to continue; to endure. Our constitution has stood more than fifty years. It is hoped it will stand for ages. Commonwealths by virtue ever stood. – Dryden.
10. To be fixed or steady; not to vacillate. His mind stands unmoved.
11. To be in or to maintain a posture of resistance or defense. Approach with charged bayonets; the enemy will not stand. The king granted the Jews to stand for their life. – Esth. viii.
12. To be placed with regard to order or rank. Note the letter that stands first in order. Gen. Washington stood highest in public estimation. Christian charity stands first in the rank of gracious affections.
13. To be in any particular state; to be, emphatically expressed, that is, to be fixed or set; the primary sense of the substantive verb. How does the value of wheat stand? God stands in no need of our services, but we always stand in need of his aid and mercy. Accomplish what your signs foreshow; / I stand resign'd. – Dryden.
14. To continue unchanged or valid; not to fail or become void. No conditions of our peace can stand. – Shak. My mercy will keep for him, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. – Ps. lxxxix.
15. To consist; to have its being and essence. Sacrifices … which stood only in meats and drinks. – Heb. ix.
16. To have a place. This excellent man, who stood not on the advantage-ground before, provoked men of all qualities. Clarendon.
17. To be in any state. Let us see how our matters stand. As things now stand with us. – Calamy.
18. To be in a particular respect or relation; as, to stand godfather to one. We ought to act according to the relation we stand in toward each other.
19. To be, with regard to state of mind. Stand in awe, and sin not. – Ps. iv.
20. To succeed to maintain one's ground; not to fail; to acquitted; to be safe. Readers by whose judgment I woold stand or fall. – Spectator.
21. To hold a course at sea; as, to stand from the shore; to stand for the harbor. From the same parts of heav'n his navy stands. – Dryden.
22. To have a direction. The wand did not really stand to the metal, when placed under it. – Boyle.
23. To offer one's self as a candidate. He stood to be elected one of the proctors of the university. – Saunderson.
24. To place one's self; to be placed. I stood between the Lord and you at that time. Deut. v.
25. To stagnate; not to flow. Or the black water of Pomptina stands. – Dryden.
26. To be satisfied or convinced. Though Page be a secure fool, and stand so firmly on his wife's frailty. – Shak.
27. To make delay. I can not stand to examine every particular.
28. To persist; to persevere. Never stand in a lie when thou art accused. – Taylor.
29. To adhere; to abide. Despair would stand to the sword. – Daniel.
30. To be permanent; to endure; not to vanish or fade; the color will stand. To stand by, to be near; to be a spectator; to be present. I stood by when the operation was performed. This phrase generally implies that the person is inactive, or takes no part in what is done. In seamen's language, to stand by is to attend and be ready. Stand by the haliards. #2. To be aside; to be placed aside with disregard. In the mean time, we let the commands stand by neglected. – Decay of Piety. #3. To maintain; to defend; to support; not to desert. I will stand by my friend to the last. Let us stand by our country. “To stand by the Arundelian marbles,” in Pope, is to defend or support their genuineness. #4. To rest on for support; to be supported. This reply standeth by conjecture. – Whitgifte. To stand for, to offer one's self as a candidate. How many stand for consulships? Three. – Shak. #2. To side with; to support; to maintain, or to profess or attempt to maintain. We all stand for freedom, for our rights or claims. #3. To be in the place of; to be the substitute or representative of. A cipher at the left hand of a figure stands for nothing. I will not trouble myself, whether these names stand for the same thing, or really include one another. – Locke. #4. In seamen's language, to direct the course toward. To stand from, to direct the course from. To stand one in, to cost. The coat stands him in twenty dollars. To stand in, or stand in for, in seamen's language, is to direct a course toward land or a harbor. To stand it, to be able to support one's self in trials of strength or suffering. To stand off, to keep at a distance. – Dryden. #2. Not to comply. – Shak. #3. To keep at a distance in friendship or social intercourse; to forbear intimacy. We stand off from an acquaintance with God. – Atterbury. #4. To appear prominent; to have relief. Picture is best when it standeth off, as if it were carved. – Wotton. To stand off, or off from, in seamen's language, is to direct the course from land. To stand off and on, is to sail toward land and then from it. To stand out, to project; to be prominent. Their eyes stand out with fatness. – Ps. lxxiii. #2. To persist in opposition or resistance; not to yield or comply; not to give way or recede. His spirit is come in, / That so stood out against the holy church. – Shak. #3. With seamen, to direct the course from land or a harbor. To stand to, to ply; to urge efforts; to persevere. Stand to your tackles, mates, and stretch your oars. – Dryden. #2. To remain fixed in a purpose or opinion. I will stand to it, that this is his sense. – Stillingfleet. #3. To abide by; to adhere; as, to a contract, assertion, promise, &c.; as, to stand to an award; to stand to one's word. #4. Not to yield; not to fly; to maintain the ground. Their lives and fortunes were put in safety, whether they stood to it or ran away. – Bacon. To stand to sea, to direct the course from land. To stand under, to undergo; to sustain. – Shak. To stand up, to rise from sitting; to be on the feet. #2. To arise in order to gain notice. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed. – Acts. xxv. #3. To make a party. When we stood up about the corn. – Shak. To stand up for, to defend; to justify; to support, or attempt to support; as, to stand up for the administration. To stand upon, to concern; to interest. Does it not stand upon them to examine the grounds of their opinion? This phrase is, I believe, obsolete; but we say, it stands us in hand, that is, it is our concern, it is for our interest. #2. To value; to pride. We highly esteem and stand much upon our birth. – Ray. #3. To insist; as, to stand upon security. – Murk. To stand with, to be consistent. The faithful servants of God will receive what they pray for, so far as stands with his purposes and glory. It stands with reason that they should be rewarded liberally. – Davies. To stand together, is used, but the last two phrases are not in very general use, and are perhaps growing obsolete. To stand against, to oppose; to resist. To stand fast, to be fixed; to be unshaken or immovable. To stand in hand, to be important to one's interest; to be necessary or advantageous. It stands us in hand to be on good terms with our neighbors. To stand fire, to receive the fire of an enemy without giving way.

STAND, v.t.

1. To endure; to sustain; to bear. I can not stand the cold or the heat.
2. To endure; to resist without yielding or receding. So had I stood the shock of angry fate. – Smith. He stood the furious foe. – Pope.
3. To await; to suffer; to abide by. Bid him disband the legions … / And stand the judgment of a Roman senate. – Addison. To stand one's ground, to keep the ground or station one has, taken; to maintain one's position; in a literal or figurative sense; as, an army stands its ground, when it is not compelled to retreat. A man stands his ground in an argument, when he is able to maintain it, or is not refuted. To stand it, to bear; to be able to endure; or to maintain one's ground or state; a popular phrase. To stand fire, to receive the fire of arms from an enemy without giving way. To stand trial, is to sustain the trial or examination of a cause; not to give up without trial.

STAND'ARD, n. [It. stendardo; Fr. etendard; Sp. estandarte; D. standaard; G. standarte; stand and ard, sort, kind.]

1. An ensign of war; a staff with a flag or colors. The troops repair to their standard. The royal standard of Great Britain is a flag, in which the imperial ensigns of England, Scotland and Ireland are quartered with the armorial bearings of Hanover. His armies, in the following day, / On those fair plains their standards proud display. – Fairfax.
2. That which is established by sovereign power as a rule or measure by which others are to be adjusted. Thus the Winchester bushel is the standard of measures in Great Britain, and is adopted in the United States as their standard. So of weights and of lineal measure.
3. That which is established as a rule or model, by the authority of public opinion, or by respectable opinions, or by custom or general consent; as, writings which are admitted to be the standard of style and taste. Homer's Iliad is the standard of heroic poetry. Demosthenes and Cicero the standards of oratory. Of modern eloquence, we have an excellent standard in the speeches of Lord Chatham. Addison's writings furnish a good standard of pure, chaste, and elegant English style. It is not an easy thing to erect a standard of taste.
4. In coinage, the proportion of weight of fine metal and alloy established by authority. The coins of England and of the United States are of nearly the same standard. By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver. – Arbuthnot.
5. A standing tree or stem; a tree not supported or attached to a wall. Plant fruit of all sorts and standard, mural, or shrubs which lose their leaf. – Evelyn.
6. In ship-building, an inverted knee placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally. – Mar. Dict.
7. In botany, the upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corol. – Martyn.

STAND'ARD-BEAR-ER, n. [standard and bear.]

An officer of an army, company or troop, that bears a standard; an ensign of infantry or a cornet of horse.

STAND'-CROP, n.

A plant. – Ainsworth.