Stem STEM, n. [G., stock, stem, race. The primary sense is to set, to
fix.] 1. The principal body of a tree, shrub or plant of any kind;
the main stock; the firm part which supports the branches. After thy
are shot up thirty feet in length, they spread a very large top, having
no bough or twig on the stem. The lowring spring with lavish rain,
beats down the slender stem and bearded grain. 2. The peduncle of
the fructification, or the pedicle of a flower; that which supports the
flower or the fruit of a planet. 3. The stock of a family; a race or
generation of progenitors; as a noble stem. Learn well their lineage
and their ancient stem. 4. Progeny; branch of a family. Of that
victorious stock. 5. In a ship, a circular piece of timber, to which
the two sides of a ship are united at the fore end. The lower end of it
is scarfed to the keel, and the bowsprit rests upon its upper end. From
stem to stern, is from one end of the ship to the other, or through the
whole length. STEM, v.t. 1. To oppose or resist, as a
current; or to make progress against a current. We say, the ship was not
able with all her sails to stem the tide. They stem the flood with
their erected breasts. 2. To stop; to check; as a stream or moving
force. At length Erasmus, that great injurd name, stemmd the wild
torrent of a barbrous age, and drove those holy Vandals off the stage.
stem
n 1: (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are
removed; "thematic vowels are part of the stem" [syn:
root, root word, base, stem, theme, radical]
2: a slender or elongated structure that supports a plant or
fungus or a plant part or plant organ [syn: stalk, stem]
3: cylinder forming a long narrow part of something [syn:
shank, stem]
4: the tube of a tobacco pipe
5: front part of a vessel or aircraft; "he pointed the bow of
the boat toward the finish line" [syn: bow, fore, prow,
stem]
6: a turn made in skiing; the back of one ski is forced outward
and the other ski is brought parallel to it [syn: stem
turn}, stem]
v 1: grow out of, have roots in, originate in; "The increase in
the national debt stems from the last war"
2: cause to point inward; "stem your skis"
3: stop the flow of a liquid; "staunch the blood flow"; "stem
the tide" [syn: stem, stanch, staunch, halt]
4: remove the stem from; "for automatic natural language
processing, the words must be stemmed"
stem I. nounEtymology: Middle English, from Old English stefn, stemn
stem of a plant or ship; akin to Old High German stam plant stem and
probably to Greek stamnos wine jar, histanai to set — more
at standDate: before 12th century 1.a. the main trunk of a plant; specifically a primary plant
axis that develops buds and shoots instead of roots b. a plant part
(as a branch, petiole, or stipe) that supports another (as a leaf or fruit)
c. the complete fruiting stalk of a banana plant with its bananas
2.a. the main upright member at the bow of a ship b.
the bow or prow of a ship — compare stern3. a line of ancestry ;stock; especially
a fundamental line from which others have arisen 4. the part
of an inflected word that remains after the inflected part is removed
<strength is the stem of strengths>; alsoroot 6 5. something held to resemble a plant stem: as
a. a main or heavy stroke of a letter b. the short
perpendicular line extending from the head of a musical note c.
the part of a tobacco pipe from the bowl outward d. the cylindrical
support of a piece of stemware (as a goblet) e. a shaft of a watch
used for winding
II. transitive verb (stemmed; stemming)
Etymology: Middle English (Scots) stemmen to keep a course,
from 1stem (of a ship) Date: 1593 1.
to make headway against (as an adverse tide, current, or wind) 2.
to check or go counter to (something adverse) • stemmernounIII. verb (stemmed; stemming)
Etymology:1stem (of a plant) Date: 1724
transitive verb1. to remove the stem from 2. to make stems for (as
artificial flowers)
intransitive verb to occur or develop as a consequence
; have or trace an origin <her success stems
from hard work>
Synonyms:seespring • stemmernounIV. verb (stemmed; stemming)
Etymology: Middle English stemmen to dam up, from Old Norse
stemma; akin to Middle High German stemmen to dam up and
probably to Lithuanian stumti to shove Date: 14th century
transitive verb1.a. to stop or dam up (as a river) b. to stop or
check by or as if by damming; especiallystanch <stem
a flow of blood>
2. to turn (a ski) in stemming intransitive verb1. to restrain or check oneself; also to become checked or
stanched 2. to slide the heel of one ski or of both skis outward
usually in making or preparing to make a turn
V. nounDate: 1700 1.check, dam2.
an act or instance of stemming on skis
stem 1. n. & v. --n. 1 the main body or stalk of a plant or shrub, usu. rising into light, but occasionally subterranean. 2 the stalk supporting a fruit, flower, or leaf, and
attaching it to a larger branch, twig, or stalk. 3 a stem-shaped part of an object: a the slender part of a wineglass between the body and the foot. b the tube of a tobacco-pipe. c a vertical
stroke in a letter or musical note. d the winding-shaft of a watch. 4 Gram. the root or main part of a noun, verb, etc., to which inflections are added; the part that appears unchanged throughout
the cases and derivatives of a noun, persons of a tense, etc. 5 Naut. the main upright timber or metal piece at the bow of a ship to which the ship's sides are joined at the fore end (from stem to
stern). 6 a line of ancestry, branch of a family, etc. (descended from an ancient stem). 7 (in full drill stem) a rotating rod, cylinder, etc., used in drilling. --v. (stemmed, stemming) 1
intr. (foll. by from) spring or originate from (stems from a desire to win). 2 tr. remove the stem or stems from (fruit, tobacco, etc.). 3 tr. (of a vessel etc.) hold its own or make headway
against (the tide etc.). Phrases and idioms: stem cell Biol. an undifferentiated cell from which specialized cells develop. stem stitch an embroidery stitch used for narrow stems etc.
stem-winder US a watch wound by turning a head on the end of a stem rather than by a key. Derivatives: stemless adj. stemlet n. stemlike adj. stemmed adj. (also in
comb.). Etymology: OE stemn, stefn f. Gmc, rel. to STAND 2. v. & n. --v. (stemmed, stemming) 1 tr. check or stop. 2 tr. dam up (a stream etc.). 3 intr. slide the
tail of one ski or both skis outwards usu. in order to turn or slow down. --n. an act of stemming on skis. Phrases and idioms: stem-turn a turn on skis made by stemming with one
ski. Etymology: ON stemma f. Gmc: cf. STAMMER
Stem \Stem\, Steem \Steem\, v. i.
To gleam. [Obs.]
His head bald, that shone as any glass, . . . [And]
stemed as a furnace of a leed [caldron]. --Chaucer.
Stem \Stem\, n. [AS. stemn, stefn, st[ae]fn; akin to OS. stamn
the stem of a ship, D. stam stem, steven stem of a ship, G.
stamm stem, steven stem of a ship, Icel. stafn, stamn, stem
of a ship, stofn, stomn, stem, Sw. stam a tree trunk, Dan.
stamme. Cf. Staff, Stand.]
1. The principal body of a tree, shrub, or plant, of any
kind; the main stock; the part which supports the branches
or the head or top.
After they are shot up thirty feet in length, they
spread a very large top, having no bough nor twig in
the trunk or the stem. --Sir W.
Raleigh.
The lowering spring, with lavish rain, Beats down
the slender stem and breaded grain. --Dryden.
2. A little branch which connects a fruit, flower, or leaf
with a main branch; a peduncle, pedicel, or petiole; as,
the stem of an apple or a cherry.
3. The stock of a family; a race or generation of
progenitors. ``All that are of noble stem.'' --Milton.
While I do pray, learn here thy stem And true
descent. --Herbert.
4. A branch of a family.
This is a stem Of that victorious stock. --Shak.
5. (Naut.) A curved piece of timber to which the two sides of
a ship are united at the fore end. The lower end of it is
scarfed to the keel, and the bowsprit rests upon its upper
end. Hence, the forward part of a vessel; the bow.
6. Fig.: An advanced or leading position; the lookout.
Wolsey sat at the stem more than twenty years.
--Fuller.
7. Anything resembling a stem or stalk; as, the stem of a
tobacco pipe; the stem of a watch case, or that part to
which the ring, by which it is suspended, is attached.
8. (Bot.) That part of a plant which bears leaves, or
rudiments of leaves, whether rising above ground or wholly
subterranean.
9. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The entire central axis of a feather.
(b) The basal portion of the body of one of the
Pennatulacea, or of a gorgonian.
10. (Mus.) The short perpendicular line added to the body of
a note; the tail of a crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, etc.
11. (Gram.) The part of an inflected word which remains
unchanged (except by euphonic variations) throughout a
given inflection; theme; base.
From stem to stern (Naut.), from one end of the ship to the
other, or through the whole length.
Stem leaf (Bot.), a leaf growing from the stem of a plant,
as contrasted with a basal or radical leaf.
Stem \Stem\, v. t.
1. To remove the stem or stems from; as, to stem cherries; to
remove the stem and its appendages (ribs and veins) from;
as, to stem tobacco leaves.
2. To ram, as clay, into a blasting hole.
Stem \Stem\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stemmed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Stemming.] [Either from stem, n., or akin to stammer; cf.
G. stemmen to press against.]
To oppose or cut with, or as with, the stem of a vessel; to
resist, or make progress against; to stop or check the flow
of, as a current. ``An argosy to stem the waves.'' --Shak.
[They] stem the flood with their erected breasts.
--Denham.
Stemmed the wild torrent of a barbarous age. --Pope.
Stem, NC (town, FIPS 64940)
Location: 36.19981 N, 78.72323 W
Population (1990): 249 (111 housing units)
Area: 2.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 27581
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