distaff

1. n. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. Source: opted

2. n. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively. Source: opted

3. adj. characteristic of or peculiar to a woman Source: wordnet

4. n. the sphere of work by women Source: wordnet

5. n. the staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning Source: wordnet

6. 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin. Fairfax. 2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively. His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne. Dryden. Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too busy. Howell. Note: The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher. 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. Source: webster

7. n:100 n. the sphere of work by women n. the staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning Source: ecdict

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