staunch [ME] Staunch (or stanch), the adjective meaning ‘loyal, reliable’ and the verb ‘to stop the flow of blood’, may seem far apart, but they share a common origin. The adjective came into English with the sense ‘watertight’, particularly of a ship. From that it developed into ‘well-built, in good condition’, then was transferred to a hunting dog in the sense of one that could be relied on to follow a scent, and by the early 16th century was transferred to personal qualities. A ship that is watertight stops liquid flowing, the primary sense of the verb, which as well as referring to blood could also mean to stop water flowing in various ways and in the past to quench thirst. The words come from Old French estanche (adjective) and estanchier for the verb ‘stop the flow of water, make watertight, quench thirst’, from a Romance base meaning ‘dried up, weary’.