Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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.