■ noun
1》 a vertical wooden post or plank in a building or other structure.
↘any of the lengths of wood fixed side by side to make a barrel, bucket, etc.
↘a strong wooden stick or iron pole used as a weapon.
2》 (also staff ) Music a set of five parallel lines on or between any of which a note is written to indicate its pitch.
3》 a verse or stanza of a poem.
■ verb
1》 ( past and past participle ~d or stove ) ( ~ something in ) break something by forcing it inwards or piercing it roughly with a hole.
2》 ( past and past participle ~d ) ( ~ something off ) avert or delay something bad or dangerous.
Origin
ME: back-form. from ~s , var. plural form of staff 1 .