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