Chapter 96

Ste`a*rop"tene (?), n. [Stearic + -optene as in elæoptene.] (Chem.) The more solid ingredient of certain volatile oils; -- contrasted with elæoptene.

||Ste`ar*rhe"a (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; tallow + &?; to flow.] (Med.) ||seborrhea.

Ste"a*ryl (?), n. [Stearic + - yl.] (Chem.) The hypothetical radical characteristic of stearic acid.

Ste"a*tite (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, fat, tallow: cf. F. stéatite.] (Min.) A massive variety of talc, of a grayish green or brown color. It forms extensive beds, and is quarried for fireplaces and for coarse utensils. Called also potstone, lard stone, and soapstone.

Ste`a*tit"ic (?), n. (Min.) Pertaining to, or of the nature of, steatite; containing or resembling steatite.

||Ste`a*to"ma (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to turn into tallow or ||suet, fr. &?;, &?;, fat, suet.] (Med.) A cyst containing matter like ||suet.

Ste`a*tom"a*tous (?), a. (Med.) Of the nature of steatoma.

||Ste`a*top"y*ga (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, &?;, fat + &?; the ||buttocks.] A remarkable accretion of fat upon the buttocks of ||Africans of certain tribes, especially of Hottentot women.

Ste`a*top"y*gous (?), a. Having fat buttocks.

Specimens of the steatopygous Abyssinian breed.

Burton.

Sted (?), n., Sted"fast (&?;), a., Sted"fast*ly, adv., etc. See Stead, Steadfast, etc.

Stee (?), n. [Cf. G. stiege. √164. See Stair.] A ladder. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] [Written also stey.]

Steed (?), n. [OE. stede, AS. stda a stud-horse, war horse, fr. std a stud of breeding steeds; akin to G. stute a mare, Icel. stedda, st&?;, a stud. √163. See Stud of horses.] A horse, especially a spirited horse for state of war; -- used chiefly in poetry or stately prose. "A knight upon a steed." Chaucer.

Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed.

Shak.

Steed"less, a. Having no steed; without a horse.

{ Steek, Steik } (?), v. t. [Cf. Stick, v. t.] To pierce with a sharp instrument; hence, to stitch; to sew; also, to fix; to fasten. [Scot.]

Steel (?), n. [AS. stl, stl, stle; akin to D. staal, G. stahl, OHG. stahal, Icel. stl, Dan. staal, Sw. stål, Old Prussian stakla.] 1. (Metal) A variety of iron intermediate in composition and properties between wrought iron and cast iron (containing between one half of one per cent and one and a half per cent of carbon), and consisting of an alloy of iron with an iron carbide. Steel, unlike wrought iron, can be tempered, and retains magnetism. Its malleability decreases, and fusibility increases, with an increase in carbon.

2. An instrument or implement made of steel; as: --

(a) A weapon, as a sword, dagger, etc. "Brave Macbeth . . . with his brandished steel." Shak.

While doubting thus he stood, Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood.

Dryden.

(b) An instrument of steel (usually a round rod) for sharpening knives.

(c) A piece of steel for striking sparks from flint.

3. Fig.: Anything of extreme hardness; that which is characterized by sternness or rigor. "Heads of steel." Johnson. "Manhood's heart of steel." Byron.

4. (Med.) A chalybeate medicine. Dunglison.

Steel is often used in the formation of compounds, generally of obvious meaning; as, steel-clad, steel- girt, steel-hearted, steel-plated, steel-pointed, etc.

Bessemer steel (Metal.) See in the Vocabulary. -- Blister steel. (Metal.) See under Blister. -- Cast steel (Metal.), a fine variety of steel, originally made by smelting blister or cementation steel; hence, ordinarily, steel of any process of production when remelted and cast. -- Cromium steel (Metal.), a hard, tenacious variety containing a little cromium, and somewhat resembling tungsten steel. -- Mild steel (Metal.), a kind of steel having a lower proportion of carbon than ordinary steel, rendering it softer and more malleable. -- Puddled steel (Metal.), a variety of steel produced from cast iron by the puddling process. -- Steel duck (Zoöl.), the goosander, or merganser. [Prov. Eng.] -- Steel mill. (a) (Firearms) See Wheel lock, under Wheel. (b) A mill which has steel grinding surfaces. (c) A mill where steel is manufactured. -- Steel trap, a trap for catching wild animals. It consists of two iron jaws, which close by means of a powerful steel spring when the animal disturbs the catch, or tongue, by which they are kept open. -- Steel wine, wine, usually sherry, in which steel filings have been placed for a considerable time, -- used as a medicine. -- Tincture of steel (Med.), an alcoholic solution of the chloride of iron. -- Tungsten steel (Metal.), a variety of steel containing a small amount of tungsten, and noted for its tenacity and hardness, as well as for its malleability and tempering qualities. It is also noted for its magnetic properties.

Steel (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Steeled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Steeling.] [AS. stlan: cf. Icel. stæla. See Steel, n.] 1. To overlay, point, or edge with steel; as, to steel a razor; to steel an ax.

2. To make hard or strong; hence, to make insensible or obdurate.

Lies well steeled with weighty arguments.

Shak.

O God of battles! steel my soldier's hearts.

Shak.

Why will you fight against so sweet a passion, And steel your heart to such a world of charms?

Addison.

3. Fig.: To cause to resemble steel, as in smoothness, polish, or other qualities.

These waters, steeled By breezeless air to smoothest polish.

Wordsworth.

4. (Elec.) To cover, as an electrotype plate, with a thin layer of iron by electrolysis. The iron thus deposited is very hard, like steel.

Steel"bow` goods" (?). (Scots Law) Those goods on a farm, such as corn, cattle, implements husbandry, etc., which may not be carried off by a removing tenant, as being the property of the landlord.

Steel"er (?), n. One who points, edges, or covers with steel.

Steel"er, n. (Shipbuilding) Same as Stealer.

Steel"head` (?), n. 1. (Zoöl.) A North Pacific salmon (Salmo Gairdneri) found from Northern California to Siberia; -- called also hardhead, and preesil.

2. (Zoöl.) The ruddy duck.

Steel"i*ness (?), n. The quality of being steely.

Steel"ing, n. The process of pointing, edging, or overlaying with steel; specifically, acierage. See Steel, v.

Steel"y (?), a. 1. Made of steel; consisting of steel. "The steely point of Clifford's lance." Shak.

Around his shop the steely sparkles flew.

Gay.

2. Resembling steel; hard; firm; having the color of steel. "His hair was steely gray." The Century.

She would unarm her noble heart of that steely resistance against the sweet blows of love.

Sir P. Sidney.

Steely iron, a compound of iron containing less than one half of one per cent of carbon.

Steel"yard (?), n. [So named from a place in London called the Steelyard, which was a yard in which steel was sold.] A form of balance in which the body to be weighed is suspended from the shorter arm of a lever, which turns on a fulcrum, and a counterpoise is caused to slide upon the longer arm to produce equilibrium, its place upon this arm (which is notched or graduated) indicating the weight; a Roman balance; -- very commonly used also in the plural form, steelyards.

Steem (?), n. & v. See Esteem. [Obs.] Spenser.

Steem, n. & v. See 1st and 2nd Stem. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Steen (?), n. [AS. st&?;na. See Stone.] [Written also stean.] 1. A vessel of clay or stone. "An huge great earth-pot steane." Spenser.

2. A wall of brick, stone, or cement, used as a lining, as of a well, cistern, etc.; a steening.

Steen, v. t. [AS. st&?;nan to adorn with stones or gems. See Stone.] To line, as a well, with brick, stone, or other hard material. [Written also stean, and stein.]

||Steen"bok` (?), n. [D. steen stone + bok buck.] (Zoöl.) Same as ||Steinbock.

Steen"ing, n. A lining made of brick, stone, or other hard material, as for a well. [Written also steaning.]

{ Steen"kirk` (?), Stein"kirk` (?) }, n. [So called from the battle of Steinkirk, in 1692, on which occasion the French nobles had no time to arrange their lace neckcloths.] A kind of neckcloth worn in a loose and disorderly fashion.

Steep (stp), a. Bright; glittering; fiery. [Obs.]

His eyen steep, and rolling in his head.

Chaucer.

Steep, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Steeped (stpt); p. pr. & vb. n. Steeping.] [OE. stepen, probably fr. Icel. steypa to cause to stoop, cast down, pour out, to cast metals, causative of stpa to stoop; cf. Sw. stöpa to cast, to steep, Dan. stöbe, D. & G. stippen to steep, to dip. Cf. Stoop, v. t.] To soak in a liquid; to macerate; to extract the essence of by soaking; as, to soften seed by steeping it in water. Often used figuratively.

Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep.

Shak.

In refreshing dew to steep The little, trembling flowers.

Wordsworth.

The learned of the nation were steeped in Latin.

Earle.

Steep, v. i. To undergo the process of soaking in a liquid; as, the tea is steeping. [Colloq.]

Steep, n. 1. Something steeped, or used in steeping; a fertilizing liquid to hasten the germination of seeds.

2. A rennet bag. [Prov. Eng.]

Steep, a. [Comper. Steeper (?); superl. Steepest.] [OE. steep, step, AS. steáp; akin to Icel. steyp&?;r steep, and stpa to stoop, Sw. stupa to fall, to tilt; cf. OFries. stap high. Cf. Stoop, v. i., Steep, v. t., Steeple.] 1. Making a large angle with the plane of the horizon; ascending or descending rapidly with respect to a horizontal line or a level; precipitous; as, a steep hill or mountain; a steep roof; a steep ascent; a steep declivity; a steep barometric gradient.

2. Difficult of access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high. [Obs.] Chapman.

3. Excessive; as, a steep price. [Slang]

Steep, n. A precipitous place, hill, mountain, rock, or ascent; any elevated object sloping with a large angle to the plane of the horizon; a precipice. Dryden.

We had on each side naked rocks and mountains broken into a thousand irregular steeps and precipices.

Addison.

Bare steeps, where desolation stalks.

Wordsworth.

Steep"-down` (?), a. Deep and precipitous, having steep descent. [R.]

Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire.

Shak.

Steep"en (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Steepened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Steepening.] To become steep or steeper.

As the way steepened . . . I could detect in the hollow of the hill some traces of the old path.

H. Miller.

Steep"er (?), n. A vessel, vat, or cistern, in which things are steeped.

Steep"i*ness (?), n. Steepness. Howell.

Steep"ish, a. Somewhat steep. Carlyle.

Stee"ple (?), n. [OE. stepel, AS. stpel, st&?;pel; akin to E. steep, a.] (Arch.) A spire; also, the tower and spire taken together; the whole of a structure if the roof is of spire form. See Spire. "A weathercock on a steeple." Shak.

Rood steeple. See Rood tower, under Rood. -- Steeple bush (Bot.), a low shrub (Spiræa tomentosa) having dense panicles of minute rose-colored flowers; hardhack. -- Steeple chase, a race across country between a number of horsemen, to see which can first reach some distant object, as a church steeple; hence, a race over a prescribed course obstructed by such obstacles as one meets in riding across country, as hedges, walls, etc. -- Steeple chaser, one who rides in a steeple chase; also, a horse trained to run in a steeple chase. -- Steeple engine, a vertical back- acting steam engine having the cylinder beneath the crosshead. -- Steeple house, a church. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Stee"ple*chas`ing (?), n. The act of riding steeple chases.

Stee"ple-crowned` (?), a. 1. Bearing a steeple; as, a steeple- crowned building.

2. Having a crown shaped like a steeple; as, a steeple-crowned hat; also, wearing a hat with such a crown.

This grave, beared, sable-cloaked, and steeple- crowned progenitor.

Hawthorne.

Stee"pled (?), a. Furnished with, or having the form of, a steeple; adorned with steeples. Fairfax.

Steep"ly (?), adv. In a steep manner; with steepness; with precipitous declivity.

Steep"ness, n. 1. Quality or state of being steep; precipitous declivity; as, the steepnessof a hill or a roof.

2. Height; loftiness. [Obs.] Chapman.

Steep"-up` (?), a. Lofty and precipitous. [R.]

Her stand she takes upon a steep-up hill.

Shak.

Steep"y (?), a. Steep; precipitous. [Poetic]

No more, my goats, shall I belong you climb The steepy cliffs, or crop the flow'ry thyme.

Dryden.

Steer (?), n. [OE. steer, AS. steór; akin to D. & G. stier a bull, OHG. stior, Icel. stjrr, &?;jrr, Sw. tjur, Dan. tyr, Goth. stiur, Russ. tur', Pol. tur, Ir. & Gael. tarbh, W. tarw, L. taurus, Gr. &?;, Skr. sth&?;ra strong, stout, AS. stor large, Icel. strr, OHG. st&?;ri, stiuri. √168. Cf. Stirk, Taurine, a.] A young male of the ox kind; especially, a common ox; a castrated taurine male from two to four years old. See the Note under Ox.

Steer, v. t. To castrate; -- said of male calves.

Steer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Steered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Steering.] [OE. steeren, steren, AS. stiéran, st&?;ran, steóran; akin to OFries. stiora, stiura, D. sturen, OD. stieren, G. steuren, OHG. stiuren to direct, support, G. steuer contribution, tax, Icel. st&?;ra to steer, govern,Sw. styra, Dan. styre, Goth. stiurjan to establish, AS. steór a rudder, a helm, and probably to Icel. staurr a pale, stake, Gr. &?;, and perhaps ultimately to E. stand. √168. Cf. Starboard, Stern, n.] To direct the course of; to guide; to govern; -- applied especially to a vessel in the water.

That with a staff his feeble steps did steer.

Spenser.

Steer, v. i. 1. To direct a vessel in its course; to direct one's course. "No helmsman steers." Tennyson.

2. To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm; as, the boat steers easily.

Where the wind Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so steers, and shifts her sail.

Milton.

3. To conduct one's self; to take or pursue a course of action.

Steer, n. [AS. steór, stiór; akin to D. stuur, G. steuer, Icel. st&?;ri. √186. See Steer, v. t.] [Written also stere.] A rudder or helm. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Steer, n. [AS. steóra. See Steer a rudder.] A helmsman, a pilot. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Steer"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being steered; dirigible.

Steer"age (?), n. 1. The act or practice of steering, or directing; as, the steerage of a ship.

He left the city, and, in a most tempestuous season, forsook the helm and steerage of the common wealth.

Milton.

2. (Naut.) (a) The effect of the helm on a ship; the manner in which an individual ship is affected by the helm. (b) The hinder part of a vessel; the stern. [R.] Swift. (c) Properly, the space in the after part of a vessel, under the cabin, but used generally to indicate any part of a vessel having the poorest accommodations and occupied by passengers paying the lowest rate of fare.

3. Direction; regulation; management; guidance.

He that hath the steerage of my course.

Shak.

4. That by which a course is directed. [R.]

Here he hung on high, The steerage of his wings.

Dryden.

Steerage passenger, a passenger who takes passage in the steerage of a vessel.

Steer"age*way` (?), n. (Naut.) A rate of motion through the water sufficient to render a vessel governable by the helm.

Steer"er (?), n. One who steers; as, a boat steerer.

Steer"ing, a. & n. from Steer, v.

Steering wheel (Naut.), the wheel by means of which the rudder of a vessel is turned and the vessel is steered.

Steer"less, a. Having no rudder. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Steer"ling (?), n. A young or small steer.

<! p. 1410 !>

Steers"man (strz"man), n.; pl. Steersmen (-men). [Steer a rudder + man: cf. AS. steórmann.] One who steers; the helmsman of a vessel. Milton.

Steers"mate (-mt`), n. [Steer a rudder + mate a companion.] One who steers; steersman. [Obs.] Milton.

Steeve (stv), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Steeved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Steeving.] [Cf. OD. steve staff, E. stem, n.] (Shipbuilding) To project upward, or make an angle with the horizon or with the line of a vessel's keel; -- said of the bowsprit, etc.

Steeve, v. t. 1. (Shipbuilding) To elevate or fix at an angle with the horizon; -- said of the bowsprit, etc.

2. To stow, as bales in a vessel's hold, by means of a steeve. See Steeve, n. (b).

Steeve, n. (Naut.) (a) The angle which a bowsprit makes with the horizon, or with the line of the vessel's keel; -- called also steeving. (b) A spar, with a block at one end, used in stowing cotton bales, and similar kinds of cargo which need to be packed tightly.

Steev"ing, n. 1. The act or practice of one who steeves.

2. (Naut.) See Steeve, n. (a).

Steg (stg), n. [Icel. steggr the male of several animals. Cf. Stag.] (Zoöl.) A gander. [Written also stag.] [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Steg`a*nog"ra*phist (?), n. One skilled in steganography; a cryptographer.

Steg`a*nog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. &?; covered (fr. &?; to cover closely) + -graphy.] The art of writing in cipher, or in characters which are not intelligible except to persons who have the key; cryptography.

||Steg`a*noph*thal"ma*ta (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; covered + &?; ||the eye.] (Zoöl.) The Discophora, or Phanerocarpæ. Called also ||Steganophthalmia.

Ste*gan"o*pod (?), n. (Zoöl.) One of the Steganopodes.

||Steg`a*nop"o*des (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, &?;, web-footed; &?; ||covered + &?; foot.] (Zoöl.) A division of swimming birds in which ||all four toes are united by a broad web. It includes the pelicans, ||cormorants, gannets, and others.

Steg`a*nop"o*dous (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having all four toes webbed together.

||Steg*no"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;. See Stegnotic.] (Med.) ||Constipation; also, constriction of the vessels or ducts.

Steg*no"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to cover, to make costive, fr. &?;, &?;, covered, closed.] (Med.) Tending to render costive, or to diminish excretions or discharges generally. -- n. A stegnotic medicine; an astringent.

||Steg`o*ceph"a*la (stg`*sf"*l), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ste`gh roof + ||kefalh` head.] (Paleon.) An extinct order of amphibians found fossil ||in the Mesozoic rocks; called also Stegocephali, and Labyrinthodonta.

Their teeth, in transverse sections, usually show a labyrinthiform arrangement of the cement and dentine. The under side of the body was covered with bony plates. Some of the Stegocephala were of very large size, and the form of the body varied from short, stout forms to others that were as slender as serpents.

||Steg`o*sau"ri*a (-s"r*), n. pl. [NL. See Stegosaurus.] (Paleon.) An ||extinct order of herbivorous dinosaurs, including the genera ||Stegosaurus, Omosaurus, and their allies.

||Steg`o*sau"rus (-rs), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ste`gh roof + say^ros a ||lizard.] (Paleon.) A genus of large Jurassic dinosaurs remarkable for ||a powerful dermal armature of plates and spines.

Steik (?), v. t. See Steek. [Scot.]

Stein (?), n. & v. See Steen.

Stein"bock` (?), n. [G. stein stone + bock buck, D. bok. Cf. Steenbok.] (Zoöl.) (a) The European ibex. (b) A small South African antelope (Nanotragus tragulus) which frequents dry, rocky districts; -- called also steenbok. [Written also steinboc, and steinbok; also called stonebock, and stonebuck.]

Stein"gale (?), n. The stannel. [Prov. Eng.]

Stein"ing (?), n. See Steening.

Stein"kirk` (?), n. Same as Steenkirk.

Stein"kle (?), n. The wheater. [Prov. Eng.]

||Ste"la (?), n.; pl. Stelæ (#). [L., from Gr. &?; a post, an upright ||stone.] (Gr. Antiq.) A small column or pillar, used as a monument, ||milestone, etc.

||Ste"le (st"l), n. [NL.] Same as Stela.

One of these steles, containing the Greek version of the ordinance, has recently been discovered.

I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

Stele (stl), n. [See Stale a handle.] A stale, or handle; a stalk. [Obs.] Chaucer. Holland.

Ste"lene (?), a. [See Stela.] Resembling, or used as, a stela; columnar. [R.]

Stell (?), v. t. [AS. stellan. &radic;163.] To place or fix firmly or permanently. [Obs.] Shak.

Stell, n. [See Stell, v. t.] 1. A prop; a support, as for the feet in standing or cilmbing. [Scot.]

2. A partial inclosure made by a wall or trees, to serve as a shelter for sheep or cattle. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

{ Stel"lar (?), Stel"la*ry (?), } a. [L. stellaris, fr. stella a star. See Star.] 1. Of or pertaining to stars; astral; as, a stellar figure; stellary orbs.

[These soft fires] in part shed down Their stellar virtue.

Milton.

2. Full of stars; starry; as, stellar regions.

{ Stel"late (?), Stel"la*ted (?), } a. [L. stellatus, p. p. of stellare to set or cover with stars, from stella a star. See Stellar.] 1. Resembling a star; pointed or radiated, like the emblem of a star.

2. (Bot.) Starlike; having similar parts radiating from a common center; as, stellate flowers.

Stel*la"tion (?), n. Radiation of light. [Obs.]

Stelled (?), a. [See Stell to place.] Firmly placed or fixed. [Obs.] "The stelled fires" [the stars]. Shak. [In this passage by some defined as "starry," as if from stellatus.]

Stel"ler (?), n. [After Geo. W. Steller, a German naturalist.] (Zoöl) The rytina; -- called also stellerine.

Stel"ler*id (?), n. [L. stella a star.] (Zoöl.) A starfish.

||Stel*ler"i*da (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) An extensive group of ||echinoderms, comprising the starfishes and ophiurans.

{ Stel*ler"i*dan (?), Stel`ler*id"e*an (?), } n. (Zoöl.) A starfish, or brittle star.

Stel*lif"er*ous (?), a. [L. stellifer; stella star + ferre to bear.] Having, or abounding with, stars.

Stel"li*form (?), a. [L. stella a star + -form.] Like a star; star-shaped; radiated.

Stel"li*fy (?), v. t. [L. stella a star + -fy.] To turn into a star; to cause to appear like a star; to place among the stars, or in heaven. [Obs. or R.] B. Jonson.

Stel"lion (?), n. [L. stellio a newt having starlike spots on its back, fr. stella a star.] (Zoöl.) A lizard (Stellio vulgaris), common about the Eastern Mediterranean among ruins. In color it is olive- green, shaded with black, with small stellate spots. Called also hardim, and star lizard.

Stel"lion*ate (?), n. [L. stellionatus cozenage, trickery, fr. stellio a newt, a crafty, knavish person.] (Scots & Roman Law) Any fraud not distinguished by a more special name; -- chiefly applied to sales of the same property to two different persons, or selling that for one's own which belongs to another, etc. Erskine.

Stel"lu*lar (?), a. [L. stellula, dim. of stella a star.] 1. Having the shape or appearance of little stars; radiated.

2. Marked with starlike spots of color.

Stel"lu*late (?), a. (Bot.) Minutely stellate.

||Stel`ma*top"o*da (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a block, post + &?;, ||&?;, eye + &?;, &?;, foot.] (Zoöl.) Same as Gymnolæmata.

Ste*log"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. &?; a post, slab, pillar + -graphy: cf. Gr. &?; an inscription on a tablet.] The art of writing or inscribing characters on pillars. [R.] Stackhouse.

{ Stem (?), 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, Steem }, n. A gleam of light; flame. [Obs.]

Stem (stm), n. [AS. stemn, stefn, stæfn; 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.