the distaff

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 — Dis taff, n.; pl. {Distaffs}, rarely {Distaves}. [OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See {Staff}.] 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• Distaff Day — Distaff Dis taff, n.; pl. {Distaffs}, rarely {Distaves}. [OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See {Staff}.] 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• Distaff's Day — Distaff Dis taff, n.; pl. {Distaffs}, rarely {Distaves}. [OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See {Staff}.] 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• Distaff Day — Distaff Day, also called Roc Day, is 7 January, the day after the feast of the Epiphany. It is also known as Saint Distaff s Day, since it was not really a holiday at all. In many European cultural traditions, women resumed their household work… …   Wikipedia

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

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

• distaff — /dis taf, tahf/, n. 1. a staff with a cleft end for holding wool, flax, etc., from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. 2. a similar attachment on a spinning wheel. 3. Archaic. a. a woman or women collectively. b. woman s work. adj. 4.… …   Universalium

• Distaff Handicap — Grade II race Distaff Handicap Location Aqueduct Racetrack Ozone Park, New York, United States Inaugurated 1954 Race type Thoroughbred Flat racin …   Wikipedia

• 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 — 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