What is "stemming the tide"

Usage examples of "stemming the tide".

And yet she had brought him and his cell vital information, intelligence that would go a long way to stemming the tide of death among them.

The great chroniclers of that age credit them with stemming the tide of war.

Melanie, stemming the tide of fear again and again, through endless hours, was telling herself: “.

She was under reefed fore and main sails, with the jib half in, easily stemming the tide, which ran fast round the cape, but making no great way with regard to the land.

A quick look showed him that Honey had everything in hand: midshipmen quite respectable, sideboys washed and holding their white gloves ready - rather hairy, bigboned sideboys now - Marines at hand, and the ship, which had been toing and froing, now standing gently in, just stemming the tide, to receive the barge.

When neither followers nor finances could any better assist him in stemming the tide of immorality that was gradually engulfing America?

For you'd dreamt not so long ago of one transgression, just one, stemming the tide of marital disintegration and flushing you out, so you could begin, afresh, your married life.

Lamport ducked his battered face and started to walk in, stemming the tide of Bannon's blows by sheer physical power.