stem

stem

stem¹ [stem]

n.

[ME < OE stemn, stefn, akin to Ger stamm, tree trunk < IE base * stebh-, post, pole > STEP, STAFF¹]

1. the main upward-growing axis of a plant, having nodes and bearing leaves, usually extending in a direction opposite to that of the root and above the ground, and serving to support the plant and to transport and store food materials; specif., the main stalk or trunk of a tree, shrub, or other plant, from which leaves, flowers, and fruit develop

2.

a) any stalk or part supporting leaves, flowers, or fruit, as a pedicel, petiole, or peduncle

b) a stalk of bananas

3. a piece or part like a stem; specif.,

a) the slender part of a tobacco pipe between the bowl and the bit, esp. the part between the shank and the bit: see PIPE

b) a narrow supporting part between the foot and the bowl, as of a wineglass

c) the cylindrical shaft projecting from a watch, with a knurled knob at its end for winding the spring, setting the hands, etc.

d) the rounded rod in some locks, about which the key fits and is turned

e) the main or thick stroke of a letter, as in printing: see TYPE

f) the vertical line forming part of a musical note (other than a whole note)

g) the shaft of a feather or hair

h) the upright piece to which the side timbers or plates are attached to form the prow of a ship

i) the forward part of a ship; prow; bow

4. main line of descent of a family; ancestry; stock

5. Linguis. the part of a word, consisting of a root or a root with one or more affixes, to which inflectional endings are added or in which inflectional phonetic changes are made [the present stem “bring” is the base to which -s may be added to form “brings”]

vt.

stemmed, stemming

1. to remove the stem or stems from (a fruit, etc.)

2. to provide (artificial flowers, etc.) with stems

3. [< STEM¹ n. 4] to make headway or progress against [to row upstream, stemming the current]

vi.

to originate, derive, or be descended

SYN.- RISE

——————

from stem to stern

1. from one end of a ship to the other

2. through the entire length of anything

stemless

adj.

stemlike

adj.

stem² [stem]

vt.

stemmed, stemming [ME < ON stemma (akin to Ger stemmen), to stop: see STAMMER]

1. to stop or check; esp., to dam up (a river, etc.), or to stop or check as if by damming up

2. to stop up, plug, or tamp (a hole, etc.)

3. to turn (a ski) in stemming

vi.

to stop or slow down in skiing by turning one ski (single stemming) or both skis (double stemming) with the heel thrust outward and the tip of the ski(s) turned in

n.

an act or manner of stemming on skis