Jacob's staff

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Jacob's staff

–noun, plural Jacob's staves.

1.	Astronomy. cross-staff.

2.	Surveying. a pole providing a firm support for a compass or other instrument.

Origin:
1540–50

cross-staff

[kraws-staf, -stahf, kros-]

–noun, plural -staffs, -staves. Astronomy.

an instrument for measuring the angle of elevation of heavenly bodies, consisting of a calibrated staff with another shorter staff perpendicular to and sliding on it.

Also called forestaff, Jacob's staff.

Origin:
1400–50, for an earlier sense; late ME

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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