[
UK
/dɪstˈɑːf/
]
NOUN
- the sphere of work by women
- the staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning
ADJECTIVE
-
characteristic of or peculiar to a woman
female sensitiveness
female suffrage
How To Use distaff In A Sentence
- This family bears: party per pale or and sable, an orle counterchanged and two lozenges counterchanged, with: “i, semper melius eris,” — a motto which, together with the two distaffs taken as supporters, proves the modesty of the burgher families in the days when the Orders held their allotted places in the State; and the naivete of our ancient customs by the pun on A Start in Life
- Well, surely that sensible widow was in on whatever distaff discussions went on overhead. THE CURSE OF CHALION
- This sudden burst of sensitivity for the station's distaff set strikes some observers as a bit rich.
- The tamer and subduer of monsters and tyrants, Hercules (vanquished by the snares of loue), did not he handle the distaffe in stead of his mightie mace? The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1
- While we have land to labor, let us never wish to see our citizens occupied at a workbench or twirling a distaff.
- Often the prepared wool was put on a distaff to make it easier to spin.
- As well might you bid Madam Toad to spin flax without her distaff. Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard
- And considering that the Guthrie's new complex on the river will present more opportunities to do new work, we can, without undue optimism, expect to see an increase in distaff dramatists in the Guthrie's future.
- Hercules served Omphale, put on an apron, took a distaff and spun; Thraso the soldier was so submissive to Anatomy of Melancholy
- These femdrams are becoming a distaff subgenre. Times, Sunday Times
