Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Stave

Stave

(stāv)
,
Noun.
[From
Staff
, and corresponding to the pl.
staves
. See
Staff
.]
1.
One of a number of narrow strips of wood, or narrow iron plates, placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel or structure; esp., one of the strips which form the sides of a cask, a pail, etc.
2.
One of the cylindrical bars of a lantern wheel; one of the bars or rounds of a rack, a ladder, etc.
3.
A metrical portion; a stanza; a staff.
Let us chant a passing
stave

In honor of that hero brave.
Wordsworth.
4.
(Mus.)
The five horizontal and parallel lines on and between which musical notes are written or printed; the staff{7}.
[Obs.]
Stave jointer
,
a machine for dressing the edges of staves.

Stave

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Staved
(stāvd)
or
Stove
(stōv)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Staving
.]
[From
Stave
,
Noun.
, or
Staff
,
Noun.
]
1.
To break in a stave or the staves of; to break a hole in; to burst; – often with in;
as, to
stave
a cask; to
stave
in a boat.
2.
To push, as with a staff; – with off.
The condition of a servant
staves
him off to a distance.
South.
3.
To delay by force or craft; to drive away; – usually with off;
as, to
stave
off the execution of a project
.
And answered with such craft as women use,
Guilty or guiltless, to
stave
off a chance
That breaks upon them perilously.
Tennyson.
4.
To suffer, or cause, to be lost by breaking the cask.
All the wine in the city has been
staved
.
Sandys.
5.
To furnish with staves or rundles.
Knolles.
6.
To render impervious or solid by driving with a calking iron;
as, to
stave
lead, or the joints of pipes into which lead has been run
.
To stave and tail
,
in bear baiting, (to stave) to interpose with the staff, doubtless to stop the bear; (to tail) to hold back the dog by the tail.
Nares.

Stave

,
Verb.
I.
To burst in pieces by striking against something; to dash into fragments.
Like a vessel of glass she
stove
and sank.
Longfellow.

Webster 1828 Edition


Stave

STAVE

,
Noun.
[from staff. It has the sound of a, as in save.]
1.
A thin narrow piece of timber, of which casks are made. Staves make a considerable articles of export from New England to the West Indies.
2.
A staff; a metrical portion; a part of a psalm appointed to be sung in churches.
3.
In music, the five horizontal and parallel lines on which the notes of tunes are written or printed; the staff, as it is now more generally written.
To stave and tail, to part dogs by interposing a staff and by pulling the tail.

STAVE

,
Verb.
T.
pret. stove or staved; pp. id.
1.
To break a hole in; to break; to burst; primarily, to thrust through with a staff; as, to stave a cask.
2.
To push as with a staff; with off.
The condition of a servant staves him off to a distance.
3.
To delay; as, to stave off the execution of a project.
4.
To pour out; to suffer to be lost by breaking the cask.
All the wine in the city has been staved.
5.
To furnish with staves or rundles. [Not in use.]

STAVE

,
Verb.
I.
To fight with staves. [Not in use.]