Adjacent Words

Distaff definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DISTAFF, n.
1. The staff of a spinning-wheel, to which a bunch of flax or tow is tied, and from which the thread is drawn.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. Proverbs 31.
2. Figuratively, a woman, or the female sex.
His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: characteristic of or peculiar to a woman; "female sensitiveness"; "female suffrage" [syn: female, distaff] n
1: the sphere of work by women
2: the staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural distaffs) Etymology: Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf, from dis- (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + stæf staff Date: before 12th century 1. a. a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning b. woman's work or domain 2. the female branch or side of a family II. adjective Date: circa 1633 1. maternal 2 <the distaff side of the family> — compare spear 2. female 1 <distaff executives>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a a cleft stick holding wool or flax wound for spinning by hand. b the corresponding part of a spinning-wheel. 2 women's work. Phrases and idioms: distaff side the female branch of a family. Etymology: OE distæf (as STAFF(1)), the first element being app. rel. to LG diesse, MLG dise(ne) bunch of flax

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Distaff Dis"taff, n.; pl. Distaffs, rarely Distaves. [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. Note: 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. --Shipley.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. pelek, a "circle"), the instrument used for twisting threads by a whirl (Prov. 31:19).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dis'-taf (pelekh): This word occurs once in Pr 31:19; "spindle" is found in the same passage. In the Revised Version (British and American) the meanings of the two words have been exchanged. See SPINNING.