staff

[ staf, stahf ]

/ stæf, stɑf /

noun, plural staffs for 1–5, 9; staves [steyvz] /steɪvz/ or staffs for 6–8, 10, 11.

a group of persons, as employees, charged with carrying out the work of an establishment or executing some undertaking.

a group of assistants to a manager, superintendent, or executive.

a member of a staff.

Military.

a body of officers without command authority, appointed to assist a commanding officer.
the parts of any army concerned with administrative matters, planning, etc., rather than with actual participation in combat.

those members of an organization serving only in an auxiliary or advisory capacity on a given project. Compare line¹(def 38).

a stick, pole, or rod for aid in walking or climbing, for use as a weapon, etc.

a rod or wand serving as a symbol of office or authority, as a crozier, baton, truncheon, or mace.

a pole on which a flag is hung or displayed.

something that supports or sustains.

Also stave. Music. a set of horizontal lines, now five in number, with the corresponding four spaces between them, on which music is written.

Archaic. the shaft of a spear, lance, etc.

adjective

of or relating to a military or organizational staff: a staff officer; staff meetings.

(of a professional person) employed on the staff of a corporation, publication, institution, or the like rather than being self-employed or practicing privately: a staff writer; staff physicians at the hospital.

verb (used with object)

to provide with a staff of assistants or workers: She staffed her office with excellent secretaries.

to serve on the staff of.

to send to a staff for study or further work (often followed by out): The White House will staff out the recommendations before making a decision.

verb (used without object)

to hire employees, as for a new office or project (sometimes followed by up): Next month we'll begin staffing up for the reelection campaign.

Origin of staff

before 900; Middle English staf (noun), Old English stæf; cognate with Dutch staf, German Stab, Old Norse stafr staff, Sanskrit stabh- support

usage note for staff

See collective noun.

OTHER WORDS FROM staff

staff·less, adjective un·staffed, adjective well-staffed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH staff

staff staph

Words nearby staff

stadiometer, stadium, stadium jacket, stadle, stadtholder, staff, staff association, staff captain, staff cell, staff college, staff corporal

Definition for staffs (2 of 3)

staff ²

[ staf, stahf ]

/ stæf, stɑf /

noun

a composition of plaster and fibrous material used for a temporary finish and in ornamental work, as on exposition buildings.

Origin of staff

1890–95, Americanism; perhaps < German Stoff stuff

Definition for staffs (3 of 3)

Staffordshire

[ staf-erd-sheer, -sher ]

/ ˈstæf ərdˌʃɪər, -ʃər /

noun

a county in central England. 1154 sq. mi. (2715 sq. km). County seat: Stafford.

Also called Stafford, Staffs

[stafs] /stæfs/.

Example sentences from the Web for staffs

His staff assignments include the Office of Combating Terrorism, National Security Council and the USSOCOM and Navy staffs.

The Hero Summit Speakers List | |November 14, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Romney purports to like 30 Rock, but I don't believe anything released by staffs in these let's-humanize-our-guy press releases.

Does Mitt Romney Know How to Laugh? |Michael Tomasky |May 21, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
In France and Germany, many companies employ graphologists on their staffs.

For Presidential Hopefuls, the Handwriting Says It All |Sheila Kurtz |January 11, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
I suppose Hollywood stars must consent to be godparents to a lot of the children of their staffs.

I Sat on Elizabeth Taylor's Knee |John Barry |March 24, 2011 |DAILY BEAST

King Christian will furnish the staffs, and then—on to Stockholm!

Plays by August Strindberg, Fourth Series |August Strindberg
Staffs of formations higher than brigades will be located within easy reach of Anzac Headquarters.

Gallipoli Diary, Volume 2 |Ian Hamilton
When we make a halt for any time, the general officers and their staffs flock to headquarters to listen to his stories.

The Crisis, Complete |Winston Churchill
Staffs should be handled with care, especially when jointing or unjointing.

Visual Signaling |Signal Corps United States Army
Standing in front of Matheline and barring the passage were two ragged beggars, with their wallets, leaning upon their staffs.

In the Yule-Log Glow, Book II |Various

British Dictionary definitions for staffs (1 of 4)

Staffs

/ (stæfs) /

abbreviation for

Staffordshire

British Dictionary definitions for staffs (2 of 4)

Staffordshire

/ (ˈstæfədˌʃɪə, -ʃə) /

noun

a county of central England: lowlands in the east and south rise to the Pennine uplands in the north; important in the history of industry, coal and iron having been worked at least as early as the 13th century. In 1974 the industrial area in the S passed to the new county of West Midlands; Stoke-on-Trent became an independent unitary authority in 1997. Administrative centre: Stafford. Pop (excluding Stoke-on-Trent): 811 000 (2003 est). Area (excluding Stoke-on-Trent): 2624 sq km (1013 sq miles)

British Dictionary definitions for staffs (3 of 4)

staff ¹

/ (stɑːf) /

noun plural for senses 1,3,4 staffs or plural for senses 5-9 staffs or staves (steɪvz)

a group of people employed by a company, individual, etc, for executive, clerical, sales work, etc

(modifier) attached to or provided for the staff of an establishment a staff doctor

the body of teachers or lecturers of an educational institution, as distinct from the students

the officers appointed to assist a commander, service, or central headquarters organization in establishing policy, plans, etc

a stick with some special use, such as a walking stick or an emblem of authority

something that sustains or supports bread is the staff of life

a pole on which a flag is hung

mainly British a graduated rod used in surveying, esp for sighting to with a levelling instrument Usual US name: rod

Also called: stave music

the system of horizontal lines grouped into sets of five (four in the case of plainsong) upon which music is written. The spaces between them are also used, being employed in conjunction with a clef in order to give a graphic indication of pitch
any set of five lines in this system together with its clefthe treble staff

verb

(tr) to provide with a staff

Word Origin for staff

Old English stæf; related to Old Frisian stef, Old Saxon staf, German Stab, Old Norse stafr, Gothic Stafs; see stave

British Dictionary definitions for staffs (4 of 4)

staff ²

/ (stɑːf) /

noun

US a mixture of plaster and hair used to cover the external surface of temporary structures and for decoration

Word Origin for staff

C19: of unknown origin

Medical definitions for staffs

staff

[ stăf ]

n.

A specific group of workers.

director

v.

To provide with a staff of workers or assistants.

To serve on the staff of.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

staff