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stave off

 - 4 dictionary results

stave

  [steyv] ,noun, verb, staved or stove, stav⋅ing.
Use stave off in a Sentence
–noun
1. one of the thin, narrow, shaped pieces of wood that form the sides of a cask, tub, or similar vessel.
2. a stick, rod, pole, or the like.
3. a rung of a ladder, chair, etc.
4. Prosody.
a. a verse or stanza of a poem or song.
b. the alliterating sound in a line of verse, as the w-sound in wind in the willows.
5. Music. staff 1 (def. 9).
–verb (used with object)
6. to break in a stave or staves of (a cask or barrel) so as to release the wine, liquor, or other contents.
7. to release (wine, liquor, etc.) by breaking the cask or barrel.
8. to break or crush (something) inward (often fol. by in).
9. to break (a hole) in, esp. in the hull of a boat.
10. to break to pieces; splinter; smash.
11. to furnish with a stave or staves.
12. to beat with a stave or staff.
–verb (used without object)
13. to become staved in, as a boat; break in or up.
14. to move along rapidly.
—Verb phrase
15. stave off,
a. to put, ward, or keep off, as by force or evasion.
b. to prevent in time; forestall: He wasn't able to stave off bankruptcy.
Origin:
1125–75; (n.) ME, back formation from staves; (v.) deriv. of the n.

Synonyms:
4. See verse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To stave off
stave   (stāv)   
n.  

  1. A narrow strip of wood forming part of the sides of a barrel, tub, or similar structure.

  2. A rung of a ladder or chair.

  3. A staff or cudgel.

  4. Music See staff1.

  5. A set of verses; a stanza.

v.   staved or stove (stōv), stav·ing, staves

v.   tr.

  1. To break in or puncture the staves of.

  2. To break or smash a hole in.

  3. To crush or smash inward.

  4. To furnish with staves.

v.   intr.
To be or become crushed in.
Phrasal Verb(s):
stave offTo keep or hold off; repel: "For 12 years, we've sought to stave off this ultimate threat of disaster" (New York Times).

[Back-formation from staves, pl. of staff1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

stave  (n.)
"piece of a barrel," 1750, back-formation from staves (1398), plural of staff (cf. leaves/leaf), possibly from O.E., but not recorded there. The verb (to stave in, past tense stove) is c.1595, originally nautical, on notion of bashing in the staves of a cask and letting out the contents; stave off (c.1624) is lit. "keep off with a staff," as of dogs.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

stave off

Keep or hold away, repel, as in The Federal Reserve Board is determined to stave off inflation. This metaphoric expression transfers beating something off with a staff or stave to nonphysical repulsion. [c. 1600]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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