stanchless

comparative more stanchless · superlative most stanchless

1. Incapable of being stanched or stopped.

   1819, Jeremiah Holmes Wiffen, “Aspley Wood” Canto 2, stanza 26, in Aonian Hours and Other Poems, London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 2nd edition, 1820, p. 82, We see, but cannot heal the stanchless wound, We share its gushing sorrow, still it bleeds;

   3 more examples

   A stanchlesse hart, dead-wounded, euer bleeding, On whom that nere-fild vulture Loue sits feeding.

   1594, Michael Drayton, Matilda, London: Nicholas Ling and John Busby

   And while I listed long, Day rose, and still he sang, And all his stanchless song, As something falling unaware, Fell out of the tall trees he sang among,

   1856, Sydney Dobell, “Home, Wounded”, in England in Time of War, London: Smith, Elder & Co., page 105

   In his little red notebook the following random thoughts formed and were jotted down, like the slow interior overflow of a stanchless music.

   1974, Lawrence Durrell, “Sutcliffe, the Venetian Documents”, in Monsieur, New York: Viking, published 1975, page 209

   Synonyms: unstaunchable

2. figurativelyobsoleteIncapable of being satisfied.

   With this there grows In my most ill-composed affection such A stanchless avarice that, were I king, I should cut off the nobles for their lands,

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]

   1 more example

   This loosness to their spoyle the Troians did allure, Who fiercely them assail’d: where stanchlesse furie rap’t The Grecians in so fast, that scarcely one escap’t:

   1612, Michael Drayton, “Song 1”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for M[athew] Lownes; I[ohn] Browne; I[ohn] Helme; I[ohn] Busbie, →OCLC, page 9

   Synonyms: unquenchable, insatiable