catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Staff \Staff\ (st[.a]f), n.; pl. Staves (st[=a]vz or
     st[aum]vz; 277) or Staffs (st[.a]fs) in senses 1-9,
     Staffs in senses 10, 11. [AS. st[ae]f a staff; akin to LG.
     & D. staf, OFries. stef, G. stab, Icel. stafr, Sw. staf, Dan.
     stav, Goth. stabs element, rudiment, Skr. sth[=a]pay to cause
     to stand, to place. See Stand, and cf. Stab, Stave, n.]
     1. A long piece of wood; a stick; the long handle of an
        instrument or weapon; a pole or stick, used for many
        purposes; as, a surveyor's staff; the staff of a spear or
        pike.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of
              the altar to bear it withal.          --Ex. xxxviii.
                                                    7.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              With forks and staves the felon to pursue. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The boy was the very staff of my age. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a
        badge of office; as, a constable's staff.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Methought this staff, mine office badge in court,
              Was broke in twain.                   --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              All his officers brake their staves; but at their
              return new staves were delivered unto them.
                                                    --Hayward.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. The round of a ladder. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I ascended at one [ladder] of six hundred and
              thirty-nine staves.                   --Dr. J.
                                                    Campbell (E.
                                                    Brown's
                                                    Travels).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. A series of verses so disposed that, when it is concluded,
        the same order begins again; a stanza; a stave.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Cowley found out that no kind of staff is proper for
              an heroic poem, as being all too lyrical. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. (Mus.) The five lines and the spaces on which music is
        written; -- formerly called stave.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     8. (Mech.) An arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     9. (Surg.) The grooved director for the gorget, or knife,
        used in cutting for stone in the bladder.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     10. [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 ['E]tat Major.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     11. Hence: A body of assistants serving to carry into effect
         the plans of a superintendent or manager; sometimes used
         for the entire group of employees of an enterprise,
         excluding the top management; as, the staff of a
         newspaper.
         [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     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 up one's staff, To put up one's staff, To set
     down one's staff or To put down one's staff, to take up
        one's residence; to lodge. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]

  Flagstaff \Flag"staff`\, n.; pl. -stavesor -staffs.
     A staff[4] on which a flag is hoisted.
     [1913 Webster]

  Staff \Staff\, n.; pl. Staves (? or ?; 277) or Staffsin
     senses 1-9, Staffs in senses 10, 11. [AS. st[ae]f a staff;
     akin to LG. & D. staf, OFries stef, G. stab, Icel. stafr, Sw.
     staf, Dan. stav, Goth. stabs element, rudiment, Skr.
     sth[=a]pay to cause to stand, to place. See Stand, and cf.
     Stab, Stave, n.]
     1. A long piece of wood; a stick; the long handle of an
        instrument or weapon; a pole or srick, used for many
        purposes; as, a surveyor's staff; the staff of a spear or
        pike.
  
              And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of
              the altar to bear it withal.          --Ex. xxxviii.
                                                    7.
  
              With forks and staves the felon to pursue. --Dryden.
  
     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. 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. A pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed.
  
     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. 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. (Mus.) The five lines and the spaces on which music is
        written; -- formerly called stave.
  
     8. (Mech.) An arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch.
  
     9. (Surg.) The grooved director for the gorget, or knife,
        used in cutting for stone in the bladder.
  
     10. [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 ['E]tat Major.
  
     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.]

  Flagstaff \Flag"staff`\, n.; pl. -stavesor -staffs.
     A staff on which a flag is hoisted.

  staffs
     n.
     (plural of en staff)
     vb.
     (infl of en staff  s-verb-form)

  Staffs
     n.
     (abbreviation of en Staffordshire nodot=1) (q: e.g. in postal
  addresses)

  Staffs.
     n.
     Staffordshire (''in postal addresses'')

  staffs
     n.
     (plural of en staff)
     vb.
     (infl of en staff  s-verb-form)

  Staffs
     n.
     (abbreviation of en Staffordshire nodot=1) (q: e.g. in postal
  addresses)

  Staffs.
     n.
     Staffordshire (''in postal addresses'')

  staffs
     n.
     (plural of en staff)
     vb.
     (infl of en staff  s-verb-form)

  Staffs
     n.
     (abbreviation of en Staffordshire nodot=1) (q: e.g. in postal
  addresses)

  Staffs.
     n.
     Staffordshire (''in postal addresses'')

  staffs
     n.
     (plural of en staff)
     vb.
     (infl of en staff  s-verb-form)

  Staffs
     n.
     (abbreviation of en Staffordshire nodot=1) (q: e.g. in postal
  addresses)

  Staffs.
     n.
     Staffordshire (''in postal addresses'')

  staffs
     Englanti n.
     (en-monikko s taff)

  staff's
     Engelska n.
     (böjning en subst staff)

  staffs
     Engelska n.
     (böjning en subst staff)

  staffs'
     Engelska n.
     (böjning en subst staff)

  Staffs /stˈafs/
  العصي

  staffs /stˈafs/ 
  kolektivy

  staffs /stˈafs/ 
  sbory

  staffs /stˈafs/ 
  zaměstnanci

  staffs /stˈafs/ 
  hole

  staffs /stˈafs/
  Fahnenstangen , Fahnenmasten , Flaggenmasten 
     Synonyms: flagpoles, flagstaffs
  
   see: flagpole, flagstaff, staff, flagpole head, flagpole finial, flagstaff head, flagstaff finial
  

  staffs /stˈafs/
  Messlatten , Meßlatten 
     Synonyms: yardsticks, measuring rods, measuring staffs, ranging rods, range poles
  
   see: yardstick, staff, measuring rod, measuring staff, surveyor's rod, ranging rod, range pole, raise the bar
  

  staffs /stˈafs/
  Stäbe 
   see: staff, combined staff
  

  
/ˈstæfs/

  
/ˈstæfs/