staff

staff

staff¹ [staf, stäf]

n.

pl. staffs; also, for STAFF¹ senses 1 & 5, staves [ME staf < OE stæf, akin to Ger stab, < IE base * steb(h)-, post, pole > STEM¹, STAMP]

1. a stick, rod, or pole; specif.,

a) a stick used as a support in walking

b) a pole or club used as a weapon

c) a pole for supporting a banner or flag

d) a rod, wand, crosier, etc. used as a symbol of authority

e) Archaic a shaft, as of a lance

f) any of several graduated sticks or rules used for measuring, as in surveying

2. a group of people assisting a chief, manager, president, or other leader

3. a group of officers serving a military or naval commanding officer in an advisory and administrative capacity without combat duties or command

4. a specific group of workers or employees [a teaching staff, newspaper staff, maintenance staff]

5. Music the horizontal lines on and between which notes are written or printed: the placement of a note on the staff indicates its pitch

adj.

of, by, for, or on a staff; specif., employed full-time, as on a magazine staff, rather than as a freelance writer

vt.

to provide with a staff, as of workers

☆ staff² [staf, stäf ]

n.

[< Ger staffieren, to fill out, decorate; via Du < OFr estoffe,STUFF]

a building material of plaster and fiber, used for temporary decorative work