m. I. a stem of a tree :-- Hwæt wénst ðú for hwí ǽlc sǽd grówe innon ða eorþan and tó wyrtrumum weorþe on ðære eorþan, búton for ðý ðe hí tiohhiaþ ðæt se stemn and se helm móte ðý fæstor standon ... Eal se dǽl, se ðe ðæs treówes on twelf mónþum geweaxeþ, hé onginþ of ðám wyrtrumum and swá upweardes gréwþ óþ ðone stemn, Bt. 34, 10; Fox 148, 31-150, 2. Ic (the cross) wæs áheáwen holtes on ende, ástyred of stefne (swefne, Kemble) mínum, Rood Kmbl. 59; Kr. 30. Beám yldo ábreóteþ and bebriceþ telgum, ástyreþ stefn on síðe, áfylleþ hine on foldan, Salm. Kmbl. 594; Sal. 296. I a. fig. :-- God is se stemn and staðol ealra góda, Bt. 34, 5; Fox 140, 2. Se ðorn ðære gítsunga ne wyrð forsearod on ðæem helme gif se wyrttruma ne biþ færcorfen oððe forbærned æt ðæm stemne si radix culpae non exuritur, nunquam per ramos avaritiae spina siccatur, Past. 45, 3; Swt. 341, 11. I b. a stem, stock, race. II. prow or stern of a vessel :-- Se æftera stemn puppis, Wrt. Voc, i. 63, 37. Tó lides stefne, Chr. 937; Erl. 112, 34. Of nacan stefne, Andr. Kmbl. 582; An. 291. Beornas on stefn stigon, Beo. Th. 429; B. 212. [O. Sax. stamn (of a vessel): O. Frs. stevne: O. H. Ger. stamm stips, truncus, caudex: Icel. stafn, stamn prow or stern of a vessel.] and next word. -stefn,stefn