quarterstaff
Use Quarterstaff in a sentence
tərˌstæf, -ˌstɑfBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
quarterstaff (ˈkwɔːtəˌstɑːf) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -staves | |
| 1. | a stout iron-tipped wooden staff about 6ft long, formerly used in England as a weapon |
| 2. | the use of such a staff in fighting, sport, or exercise |
| [C16: of uncertain origin] | |
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
quarterstaff
Cite This Source
quarterstaff
a staff of wood from 6 to 9 feet (about 2 to 3 m) long, used for attack and defense. It is probably the cudgel or sapling with which many legendary heroes are described as being armed. The quarterstaff attained great popularity in England during the Middle Ages. It was usually made of oak, the ends often being shod with iron, and it was held with both hands, the right hand grasping it one-quarter of the distance from the lower end (hence the name) and the left at about the middle. The staff was used as a foil, or practice substitute, for the long, two-handed sword of the period. In earlier times, it may also have been used as a practice weapon for the spear and pike
Learn more about quarterstaff with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Cite This Source
