staff

Definitions

1. 1.With forks and staves the felon to pursue. Dryden.
2. 2.A stick carried in the hand for support or defense by a person walking; hence, a support; that which props or upholds. "Hooked staves." Piers Plowman. The boy was the very staff of my age. Shak. He spoke of it [beer] in "The Earnest Cry," and likewise in the "Scotch Drink," as one of the staffs of life which had been struck from the poor man's hand. Prof. Wilson.
3. 3.A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a badge of office; as, a constable's staff. Methought this staff, mine office badge in court, Was broke in twain. Shak. All his officers brake their staves; but at their return new staves were delivered unto them. Hayward.
4. 4.A pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed.
5. 5.The round of a ladder. [R.] I ascend at one [ladder] of six hundred and thirty-nine staves. Dr. J. Campbell (E. Brown's Travels).
6. 6.A series of verses so disposed that, when it is concluded, the same order begins again; a stanza; a stave. Cowley found out that no kind of staff is proper for an heroic poem, as being all too lyrical. Dryden.
7. 7.(Mus.) The five lines and the spaces on which music is written; -- formerly called stave.
8. 8.(Mech.) An arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch.
9. 9.(Surg.) The grooved director for the gorget, or knife, used in cutting for stone in the bladder.
10. 10.Etym: [From Staff, 3, a badge of office.] (Mil.) An establishment of officers in various departments attached to an army, to a section of an army, or to the commander of an army. The general's staff consists of those officers about his person who are employed in carrying his commands into execution. See État Major.
11. 11.Hence: A body of assistants serving to carry into effect the plans of a superintendant or manager; as, the staff of a newspaper. Jacob's staff (Surv.), a single straight rod or staff, pointed and iron-shod at the bottom, for penetrating the ground, and having a socket joint at the top, used, instead of a tripod, for supporting a compass. -- Staff angle (Arch.), a square rod of wood standing flush with the wall on each of its sides, at the external angles of plastering, to prevent their being damaged. -- The staff of life, bread. "Bread is the staff of life." Swift. -- Staff tree (Bot.), any plant of the genus Celastrus, mostly climbing shrubs of the northern hemisphere. The American species (C. scandens) is commonly called bittersweet. See 2d Bittersweet, 3 (b). -- To set, or To put, up, or down, one's staff, to take up one's residence; to lodge. [Obs.]

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "staff" mean?
• What is another word for "staff"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is staff.

• What is with forks and staves the felon to pursue. Dryden called?
• What is a pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed called?
• What is the round of a ladder. [R.] I ascend at one [ladder] of six hundred and thirty-nine staves. Dr. J. Campbell (E. Brown's Travels) called?
• What is the five lines and the spaces on which music is written; -- formerly called stave called?
• What is an arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch called?
• What is the grooved director for the gorget, or knife, used in cutting for stone in the bladder called?