Distaff
Dis"taff
(?), n.;[1913 Webster]
I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin.Fairfax.
[1913 Webster]
2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively.
[1913 Webster]
His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne.Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too busy.Howell.
[1913 Webster]
The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
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Sat 17th April 2021