staple

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[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Etymology 1

Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French estaple (“market, (trading) post”), of Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stapulaz, from Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- (“post, stem”). Cognate with Middle Low German stapol, Middle Dutch stapel, Old English stapol (“market, court”), and to English staff.

[edit] Noun

staple (plural staples)

  1. (obsolete) A market center for a regionally produced commodity.
  2. (obsolete) A principal commodity produced in a region.
  3. A basic or essential supply.
    Rice is a staple in the diet of many cultures.
  4. A recurring topic or character.
    • 2010, The Economist, Jul-Aug 2010, p. 27:
      In most countries, rubbish makes headlines only when it is not collected, and stinking sacks lie heaped on the streets. In Britain bins are a front-page staple.
  5. Short fiber, as of cotton, sheep’s wool, or the like, which can be spun into yarn or thread.
    Tow is flax with short staple.
[edit] Translations
basic or essential supply
basic food
length of fibers in wool

[edit] Etymology 2

A box of staples

Probably from Middle English staple, pillar, post, from Old English stapol (“post, pillar”). See also Old English steppan (“to step”) and Old French estaple (“post”). Consider also stapes (“stirrup”), from Latin.

[edit] Noun

staple (plural staples)

  1. A wire fastener used to secure stacks of paper by penetrating all the sheets and curling around.
  2. A wire fastener used to secure something else by penetrating and curling.
    Can you believe they use staples to hold cars together these days?
  3. A U-shaped metal fastener, used to attach fence wire or other material to posts or structures.
    The rancher used staples to attach the barbed wire to the fence-posts.
  4. One of a set of U-shaped metal rods hammered into a structure, such as a piling or wharf, which serve as a ladder.
    Fortunately, there were staples in the quay wall, and she was able to climb out of the water.
[edit] Translations
wire fastener used to secure stacks of paper
wire fastener in general
U-shaped metal fastener
one of set of rods hammered into structure

[edit] Verb

staple (third-person singular simple present staples, present participle stapling, simple past and past participle stapled)

  1. (transitive) To secure with a staple.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
secure with a staple

[edit] Anagrams

[edit] German

[edit] Verb

staple

  1. First-person singular present of stapeln.
  2. Imperative singular of stapeln.
  3. First-person singular subjunctive I of stapeln.
  4. Third-person singular subjunctive I of stapeln.
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