staff Hear it!

staff1 definition

staff (staf, stäf)

noun pl. staffs, staves

  1. a stick, rod, or pole; specif.,
    1. a stick used as a support in walking
    2. a pole or club used as a weapon
    3. a pole for supporting a banner or flag
    4. a rod, wand, crosier, etc. used as a symbol of authority
    5. Archaic a shaft, as of a lance
    6. 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

Etymology: ME staf < OE stæf, akin to Ger stab, < IE base *steb(h)-, post, pole > stem, stamp

adjective

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

transitive verb

to provide with a staff, as of workers
staff2 definition

☆ staff (staf, stäf)

noun

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

Etymology: < Ger staffieren, to fill out, decorate; via Du < OFr estoffe, stuff

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business staff definition - business

medical staff definition - medical

staff Synonyms

staff

n.

  1. A stick

    wand, pole, stave; see club 3, stick.

  2. A corps of employees

    personnel, assistants, force, help, workers, crew, team, organization, agents, faculty, cadre, cast, operatives, deputies, servants, factotums, officers.

  3. An officer's assistants

    junior officers, corps, aides-de-camp, escort, guard of honor.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

staff Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • employ: In addition, we also employ support staff in a wide variety of roles.

Adjective modifier

  • academic: The profile is designed specifically for academic staff engaged with students on engineering courses.

Modifies a noun

  • turnover: Working conditions must allow for flexibility and career advancement to retain highly motivated staff and reduce staff turnover and absence rates.

Noun used with modifier

  • nursing: The nursing staff who have received training in fire drill will give directions which you should follow.
staff usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

staff quotes

And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it inhaste: it isthe L's passover.For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all thegods of Egypt Iwill executejudgment: Iam the L.

-Bible (Old Testament)

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

-Bible (Old Testament)

   The L ismy shepherd; Ishall not want.He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.Yea, though I walk through the valleyof theshadow of death,I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the L for ever.

-Bible (Old Testament)

staff quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"staff." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/staff>

APA Style

staff. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/staff

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment