Lexic.us

Definition of Distaff

1. Adjective. Characteristic of or peculiar to a woman. "Female suffrage"

2. Noun. The sphere of work by women.

3. Noun. The staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning.

Definition of Distaff

1. n. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand.

Definition of Distaff

1. Adjective. of, relating to, or characteristic of women ¹

2. Adjective. referring to the maternal side of a family ¹

3. Noun. a device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread. A traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (see Etymology), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist. ¹

4. Noun. the part of a spinning wheel from which fibre is drawn to be spun ¹

5. Noun. anything traditionally done by or considered of importance to women only ¹

6. Noun. women considered as a group ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Distaff

1. a type of staff [n -TAFFS or -TAVES]

Medical Definition of Distaff

1. Origin: OE. Distaf, dysestafe, AS. Distaef; cf. LG. Diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. Dizen. See Staff. 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. "I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin." (Fairfax) 2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively. "His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne." (Dryden) "Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too busy." (Howell) The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher. Descent by distaff, descent on the mother's side. Distaff Day, or Distaff's Day, the morrow of the Epiphany, that is, January 7, because working at the distaff was then resumed, after the Christmas festival; called also Rock Day, a distaff being called a rock. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Distaff

dissyllabification dissyllabifications dissyllabize dissyllabized dissyllabizes dissyllabizing dissyllable dissyllables dissymmetric dissymmetrical

dissymmetrically dissymmetries dissymmetry dissympathy distad distaff (current term) distaff side distaffs distain distained

distaining distains distal caries distal convoluted tubule distal end distal end cutter distal goal distal ileitis

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