staple
(adjective) necessary or important, especially regarding food or commodities; “wheat is a staple crop”
basic, staple
(noun) (usually in the plural) a necessary commodity for which demand is constant
staple
(noun) paper fastener consisting of a short length of U-shaped wire that can fasten papers together
staple
(noun) a short U-shaped wire nail for securing cables
staple, staple fiber, staple fibre
(noun) a natural fiber (raw cotton, wool, hemp, flax) that can be twisted to form yarn; “staple fibers vary widely in length”
staple
(verb) secure or fasten with a staple or staples; “staple the papers together”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
staple (plural staples)
(now historical) A town containing merchants who have exclusive right, under royal authority, to purchase or produce certain goods for export; also, the body of such merchants seen as a group.
(by extension) Place of supply; source.
The principal commodity produced in a town or region.
A basic or essential supply.
A recurring topic or character.
Short fiber, as of cotton, sheep’s wool, or the like, which can be spun into yarn or thread.
Unmanufactured material; raw material.
staple (third-person singular simple present staples, present participle stapling, simple past and past participle stapled)
(transitive) To sort according to its staple.
staple (not comparable)
Relating to, or being market of staple for, commodities.
Established in commerce; occupying the markets; settled.
Fit to be sold; marketable.
Regularly produced or manufactured in large quantities; belonging to wholesale traffic; principal; chief.
staple (plural staples)
A wire fastener used to secure stacks of paper by penetrating all the sheets and curling around.
A wire fastener used to secure something else by penetrating and curling.
A U-shaped metal fastener, used to attach fence wire or other material to posts or structures.
One of a set of U-shaped metal rods hammered into a structure, such as a piling or wharf, which serve as a ladder.
(mining) A shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one, joining different levels.
A small pit.
A district granted to an abbey.
(obsolete) A post; prop; support
staple (third-person singular simple present staples, present participle stapling, simple past and past participle stapled)
(transitive) To secure with a staple.
• leptas, palest, palets, pastel, peltas, petals, plates, pleats, septal, tepals
Source: Wiktionary
Sta"ple, n. Etym: [AS. stapul, stapol, stapel, a step, a prop, post, table, fr. stapan to step, go, raise; akin to D. stapel a pile, stocks, emporium, G. stapela heap, mart, stake, staffel step of a ladder, Sw. stapel, Dan. stabel, and E. step cf. OF. estaple a mart, F. Ă©tape. See Step.]
1. A settled mart; an emporium; a city or town to which merchants brought commodities for sale or exportation in bulk; a place for wholesale traffic. The customs of Alexandria were very great, it having been the staple of the Indian trade. Arbuthnot. For the increase of trade and the encouragement of the worthy burgesses of Woodstock, her majesty was minded to erect the town into a staple for wool. Sir W. Scott.
Note: In England, formerly, the king's staple was established in certain ports or towns, and certain goods could not be exported without being first brought to these places to be rated and charged with the duty payable of the king or the public. The principal commodities on which customs were lived were wool, skins, and leather; and these were originally the staple commodities.
2. Hence: Place of supply; source; fountain head. Whitehall naturally became the chief staple of news. Whenever there was a rumor that any thing important had happened or was about to happen, people hastened thither to obtain intelligence from the fountain head. Macaulay.
3. The principal commodity of traffic in a market; a principal commodity or production of a country or district; as, wheat, maize, and cotton are great staples of the United States. We should now say, Cotton is the great staple, that is, the established merchandize, of Manchester. Trench.
4. The principal constituent in anything; chief item.
5. Unmanufactured material; raw material.
6. The fiber of wool, cotton, flax, or the like; as, a coarse staple; a fine staple; a long or short staple.
7. A loop of iron, or a bar or wire, bent and formed with two points to be driven into wood, to hold a hook, pin, or the like.
8. (Mining) (a) A shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one, joining different levels. (b) A small pit.
9. A district granted to an abbey. [Obs.] Camden.
Sta"ple, a.
1. Pertaining to, or being market of staple for, commodities; as, a staple town. [R.]
2. Established in commerce; occupying the markets; settled; as, a staple trade. Dryden.
3. Fit to be sold; marketable. [R.] Swift.
4. Regularly produced or manufactured in large quantities; belonging to wholesale traffic; principal; chief. Wool, the great staple commodity of England. H
Sta"ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. stapled; p. pr. & vb. n. stapling.]
Definition: To sort according to its staple; as, to staple cotton.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 December 2024
(noun) Australian tree having hard white timber and glossy green leaves with white flowers followed by one-seeded glossy blue fruit
International Coffee Day (September 29) is an occasion to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage, with events occurring in places across the world. A day to promote fair trade coffee and raise awareness for the coffee growers’ plight. Other countries celebrate this event on October 1.
