- Rock Day
- Distaff Dis"taff, n.; pl. {Distaffs}, rarely {Distaves}. [OE.
distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of
flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See {Staff}.]
1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from
which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand.
[1913 Webster]
I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin. --Fairfax. [1913 Webster]
2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively. [1913 Webster]
His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too busy. --Howell. [1913 Webster]
Note: The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher. [1913 Webster]
{Descent by distaff}, descent on the mother's side.
{Distaff Day}, or {Distaff's Day}, the morrow of the Epiphany, that is, January 7, because working at the distaff was then resumed, after the Christmas festival; -- called also {Rock Day}, a distaff being called a rock. --Shipley. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.