stæf
See also: Stäf
Middle English
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *stabaz, whence also Old High German stab, Old Norse stafr.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /stæf/
Noun
stæf m (nominative plural stafas)
- staff
- c. 899, Alfred the Great, Psalm 23
- Þīn ġierd and þīn stæf mē āfrēfredon.
- Your rod and your staff comfort me.
- Þīn ġierd and þīn stæf mē āfrēfredon.
- c. 899, Alfred the Great, Psalm 23
- (grammar) letter, written character
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "Midlent Sunday"
- On ōðre wīsan wē sċēawiaþ mētinge and on ōðre wīsan stafas. Ne gǣþ nā māre tō mētinge būtan þæt þū hit ġesēo and herġe. Nis nā ġenōg þæt þū stafas sċēawiġe būtan þū hīe ēac rǣde and þæt andġiet understande.
- We look at pictures in one way and letters in another. You don’t do anything with a painting except see it and praise it. Just looking at letters isn’t enough unless you also read them and understand the meaning.
- On ōðre wīsan wē sċēawiaþ mētinge and on ōðre wīsan stafas. Ne gǣþ nā māre tō mētinge būtan þæt þū hit ġesēo and herġe. Nis nā ġenōg þæt þū stafas sċēawiġe būtan þū hīe ēac rǣde and þæt andġiet understande.
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "Midlent Sunday"
Declension
Declension of stæf (strong a-stem)
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | stæf | stafas |
| accusative | stæf | stafas |
| genitive | stæfes | stafa |
| dative | stæfe | stafum |
Derived terms
Synonyms
- (letter): bōcstæf
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