STAVE, n. [from staff. It has the sound of a, as in save.] 1. A thin narrow piece of timber, of which casks are made. Staves make a considerable articles of export from New England to the West Indies.2. A staff; a metrical portion; a part of a psalm appointed to be sung in churches.3. In music, the five horizontal and parallel lines on which the notes of tunes are written or printed; the staff, as it is now more generally written.To stave and tail, to part dogs by interposing a staff and by pulling the tail.STAVE, v.t. pret. stove or staved; pp. id. 1. To break a hole in; to break; to burst; primarily, to thrust through with a staff; as, to stave a cask.2. To push as with a staff; with off.The condition of a servant staves him off to a distance.3. To delay; as, to stave off the execution of a project.4. To pour out; to suffer to be lost by breaking the cask.All the wine in the city has been staved.5. To furnish with staves or rundles. [Not in use.]STAVE, v.i. To fight with staves. [Not in use.]
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