Etymology From Middle English staf, from Old English stæf (“letter of the alphabet”), from Proto-West Germanic *stab, from Proto-Germanic *stabaz. Cognate with Dutch staf, German Stab, Danish stav, Swedish stav. Sense of "group of military officers that assists a commander" and similar meanings, attested from 1702, is influenced by or is even from German Stab.
A long, straight, thick wooden rod or stick, especially one used to assist in walking.
Plural staffs or staves
And thus ſhall ye eate it [the lamb]: with your loines girded, your ſhooes on your feet, and your ſtaffe in your hand: and ye ſhall eate it in haſte: it is the Lords Paſſeouer.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 12:11, column 2:
The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A series of horizontal lines on which musical notes are written; a stave.
Plural staffs or staves
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People employed by a business or other organisation.
Plural staff or staffs
The company employed 10 new members of staff this month.
The company has taken on 1600 more highly-paid staff.
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No department of the Southern Railway escaped some share of the work involved, and the outdoor traffic and locomotive staffs in particular were engaged literally night and day, snatching a few hours' sleep as opportunity offered, until the task was completed.1940 July, “Notes and News: A Magnificent Transport Achievement”, in Railway Magazine, page 419:
Most staff do not have the skills to cope with such challenging patients, who too often receive "impersonal" care and suffer from boredom, the first National Audit of Dementia found. It says hospitals should introduce "dementia champions".2011 December 16, Denis Campbell, “Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'”, in Guardian:
It turns out that, in journalistic terms, and especially at the FT, where many staff see out their entire careers, seven years is nothing.2023 November 25, Rebecca Rose, “How old is too old for a profile pic?”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 22:
A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a badge of office.
a constable's staff
Me thought this ſtaffe mine Office-badge in Court / Was broke in twaine:1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 122, column 2:
1 more example
All his officers brake their staves; but at their return new staves were delivered unto them.a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630, →OCLC:
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A pole upon which a flag is supported and displayed.
I ascend at one [ladder] of six hundred and thirty-nine staves.1739, John Campbell, The Travels and Adventures of Edward Bevan, Esq.:
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A series of verses so disposed that, when it is concluded, the same order begins again; a stanza; a stave.
Mr. Cowley had found out, that no kind of Staff is proper for an Heroick Poem; as being all too lirical:1697, Virgil, “To the Most Honourable John, Lord Marquess of Normanby, Earl of Mulgrave, &c. and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page [192]:
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Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences An arbor, as of a wheel or a pinion of a watch.
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Medicine, Sciences, Surgery The grooved director for the gorget, or knife, used in cutting for stone in the bladder.
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Government, Military, Politics, War An establishment of officers in various departments attached to an army, to a section of an army, or to the commander of an army. The general's staff consists of those officers about his person who are employed in carrying his commands into execution.
At the head of that division which had Westminster Bridge for its approach to the scene of action, Lord George Gordon took his post; with Gashford at his right hand, and sundry ruffians, of most unpromising appearance, forming a kind of staff about him.1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 49.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 217:
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Rail transport, Railways, TransportArchaic A form of token once used, in combination with a ticket, for safe train movements between two points on a single line.
The train-staff and ticket system was used widely at one time, until superseded by electrical token systems, the first of which, the tablet system, appeared in 1878, […].1946 July and August, “Wise's Train Staff”, in Railway Magazine, page 214:
The first up train was the morning semi-fast ex Buncrana, which sped through with No. 8 at its head, adroitly exchanging staffs at about 15 m.p.h. […] The next train through Tooban was our opposite number, and we duly received the vital staff.1949 November and December, K. Longbottom, “By Goods Train to Gweedore”, in Railway Magazine, page 355:
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The unusual rolling stock, the fare collection methods, and the exchange of train staffs make it quite clear that here is something out of the ordinary run of suburban electric lines.1951 November, R. K. Kirkland, “The Wimbledon and West Croydon Line of the Southern Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 726:
Etymology From Middle English staf, from Old English stæf (“letter of the alphabet”), from Proto-West Germanic *stab, from Proto-Germanic *stabaz. Cognate with Dutch staf, German Stab, Danish stav, Swedish stav. Sense of "group of military officers that assists a commander" and similar meanings, attested from 1702, is influenced by or is even from German Stab.
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To supply (a business, volunteer organization, etc.) with employees or staff members.
Interlaken East station is jointly owned with the standard gauge Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon Railway from Bern and Thun and the Swiss Federal Railways metre-gauge Brünig line from Lucerne, but is managed and staffed by the Bernese Oberland group.1960 December, Voyageur, “The Mountain Railways of the Bernese Oberland”, in Trains Illustrated, page 750: