sta|ple

sta|ple¹ «STAY puhl», noun, verb, -pled, -pling.

–n.

1. a piece of metal with pointed ends bent into a U shape. Staples are driven into wood to hold a hook, pin, or bolt.

2. a bent piece of wire used to hold together papers or parts of a book.

–v.t.

to fasten or secure with a staple or staples: »

to staple together the pages of a report.

╂[Old English stapol post]

sta|ple² «STAY puhl», noun, adjective, verb, -pled, -pling.

–n.

1. the most important or principal article regularly grown or manufactured in a place: »

Cotton is the staple in many southern states.

2. any major article of commerce or trade; something of recognized quality or in constant demand.

3. Figurative. the chief element, ingredient, material, or constituent of anything; chief item: »

Politics is often a staple of conversation.

4. the material of which anything is made; raw material.

5. a fiber of cotton or wool considered with regard to its length and fineness.

6. a particular length and degree of fineness in fiber, as of cotton or wool.

7. = staple fiber. (Cf. ↑staple fiber)

8. (formerly) a town or place in which a body of merchants was granted by royal authority the exclusive right to buy certain goods for export: »

He had borrowed a great sum of money of the merchants of the staple (Holinshed's “Chronicles”).

9. Archaic. the principal market of a lace; chief center of trade.

–adj.

1. most important; chief; principal: »

Bread is a staple food. The weather was their staple topic of conversation.

2. established and important in commerce; leading: »

a staple trade or industry.

3. regularly produced in large quantities for the market; foremost among the exports of a country or place: »

Corn is a staple commodity of Iowa.

–v.t.

to sort according to fiber: »

to staple wool.

╂[< Anglo-French, Old French estaple mart < Germanic (compare Dutch stapel pile, heap)]