STAVE, noun [from staff. It has the sound of a, as in save.]

1. A thin narrow piece of timber, of which casks are made. Staves make a considerable articles of export from New England to the West Indies.

2. A staff; a metrical portion; a part of a psalm appointed to be sung in churches.

3. In music, the five horizontal and parallel lines on which the notes of tunes are written or printed; the staff, as it is now more generally written.

To stave and tail, to part dogs by interposing a staff and by pulling the tail.

STAVE, verb transitive preterit tense stove or staved; participle passive id.

1. To break a hole in; to break; to burst; primarily, to thrust through with a staff; as, to stave a cask.

2. To push as with a staff; with off.

The condition of a servant staves him off to a distance.

3. To delay; as, to stave off the execution of a project.

4. To pour out; to suffer to be lost by breaking the cask.

All the wine in the city has been staved.

5. To furnish with staves or rundles. [Not in use.]

STAVE, verb intransitive To fight with staves. [Not in use.]