stanch
STAWNCHverbMeaning to stop the flow of a liquid
Memory hook STANCH: STOP the gush. Water gushes from a hole in the rain barrel, and Sven slaps his hand over it to stop the flow: he stanches the leak.
The plumber hurried to stanch the flood from the broken pipe.
In context Volunteers piled sandbags along the riverbank to stanch the water pouring over the low wall, and by morning the flow had stopped.
Similar stop, stem, check, halt
Opposite release
From Old French estanchier, “to stop the flow of.”