Distaff

Distaff


  1 dis•taff \ˈdis-ˌtaf\ noun
plural distaffs \-ˌtafs, -ˌtavz\ [Middle English distaf, from Old English dist+f, from dis- (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + st+f staff] 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

  2 distaff adjective
circa 1633
  1:      MATERNAL 2 〈the distaff side of the family〉—compare SPEAR
  2:      FEMALE 1 〈distaff executives〉

  dis•tain \dis-ˈtān\ verb transitive
[Middle English disteynen, from Anglo-French desteindre to take away the color of, from de- + teindre to dye, from Latin tingere to wet, dye—more at TINGE] 14th century
  1      archaic: STAIN
  2      archaic: DISHONOR


Mish, Frederick C. “Preface.” Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. 2003 : n. pag. Print.


Mish, Frederick C. “Preface.” Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. 2003 : n. pag. Print.

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