the distaff side

См. также в других словарях:

• on the distaff side — old fashioned phrase on the woman’s side of a family Thesaurus: describing or relating to relatednesshyponym Main entry: distaff * * * on the distaff side idiom ( …   Useful english dictionary

• distaff side — the female side of a family (opposed to spear side). [1885 90] * * * …   Universalium

• distaff side — the female side of a family (opposed to spear side). [1885 90] …   Useful english dictionary

• on the distaff side — old fashioned on the woman s side of a family …   English dictionary

• distaff side — dis′taff side n. sex the female side of a family • Etymology: 1885–90 …   From formal English to slang

• distaff side — /ˈdɪstaf saɪd/ (say distahf suyd) noun the female side of a family …  

• distaff side — noun the female or maternal branch of a family Ant: spear side …   Wiktionary

• Distaff — Queen Berthe instructing girls to spin flax on spindles using distaffs, Albert Anker, 1888 …   Wikipedia

• distaff — I. noun (plural distaffs) Etymology: Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf, from dis (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + stæf staff Date: before 12th century 1. a. a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning b.… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• distaff — UK [ˈdɪstɑːf] / US [ˈdɪˌstæf] noun [countable] Word forms distaff : singular distaff plural distaffs a small stick used in the past for winding wool around when spinning • on the distaff side …   English dictionary

• distaff — [ dɪstα:f] noun 1》 a stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning. 2》 [as modifier] denoting or concerning women: a family tree on the distaff side. Compare with spear (in sense 3). Origin OE distæf: the first element is appar …   English new terms dictionary