alt. of steem-alt. of steem-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.-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.-the stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.-a branch of a family.-a curved piece of timber to which the two sides of a ship are united at the fore end. the lower end of it is scarfed to the keel, and the bowsprit rests upon its upper end. hence, the forward part of a vessel; the bow.-fig.: an advanced or leading position; the lookout.-anything resembling a stem or stalk; as, the stem of a tobacco pipe; the stem of a watch case, or that part to which the ring, by which it is suspended, is attached.-that part of a plant which bears leaves, or rudiments of leaves, whether rising above ground or wholly subterranean.-the entire central axis of a feather.-the basal portion of the body of one of the pennatulacea, or of a gorgonian.-the short perpendicular line added to the body of a note; the tail of a crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, etc.-the part of an inflected word which remains unchanged (except by euphonic variations) throughout a given inflection; theme; base.-to remove the stem or stems from; as, to stem cherries; to remove the stem and its appendages (ribs and veins) from; as, to stem tobacco leaves.-to ram, as clay, into a blasting hole.-to oppose or cut with, or as with, the stem of a vessel; to resist, or make progress against; to stop or check the flow of, as a current.-to move forward against an obstacle, as a vessel against a current.